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| North Korea Yongbyon reactor work ‘nearing completion’ | North Korea Yongbyon reactor work ‘nearing completion’ |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| North Korea is making "important" progress on reactivating facilities at its moth-balled Yongbyon nuclear reactor, a US think-tank says. | North Korea is making "important" progress on reactivating facilities at its moth-balled Yongbyon nuclear reactor, a US think-tank says. |
| Start-up could be one to two months away, it said, but there was uncertainty over the availability of fuel rods to power the reactor. | Start-up could be one to two months away, it said, but there was uncertainty over the availability of fuel rods to power the reactor. |
| North Korea announced in April that it planned to reactive the reactor, amid high tension on the peninsula. | North Korea announced in April that it planned to reactive the reactor, amid high tension on the peninsula. |
| The reactor was closed in July 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid deal. | |
| The cooling tower at the facility was later destroyed, but then the disarmament deal stalled. | |
| North Korea's decision to restart followed its third nuclear test on 12 February, which led to expanded UN sanctions. | North Korea's decision to restart followed its third nuclear test on 12 February, which led to expanded UN sanctions. |
| Plutonium source | Plutonium source |
| The information came from the 38 North website, which is part of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University in the US. | The information came from the 38 North website, which is part of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University in the US. |
| Its report said that recent satellite imagery showed that North Korea had "essentially finished repairing the cooling system necessary to restart and operate the reactor". | Its report said that recent satellite imagery showed that North Korea had "essentially finished repairing the cooling system necessary to restart and operate the reactor". |
| The cooling tower that was destroyed had not been repaired, but instead a secondary cooling system had been employed. Work was also ongoing at a spent fuel facility, it said. | The cooling tower that was destroyed had not been repaired, but instead a secondary cooling system had been employed. Work was also ongoing at a spent fuel facility, it said. |
| Piles of construction materials were visible at the site and what could be a new drainage ditch for water from the reactor building was being dug, it said. | Piles of construction materials were visible at the site and what could be a new drainage ditch for water from the reactor building was being dug, it said. |
| The reactor "may be one to two months from start-up. However, the availability of fresh fuel rods to power the reactor - a key factor that will determine when the North will restart the facility - remains unclear," it said. | The reactor "may be one to two months from start-up. However, the availability of fresh fuel rods to power the reactor - a key factor that will determine when the North will restart the facility - remains unclear," it said. |
| Once operational, the reactor could produce "approximately six kilograms of plutonium per year that can be used for manufacturing nuclear weapons", it added. | |
| North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006. | North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006. |
| After UN sanctions were expanded following the most recent test, in February, North Korea issued multiple threats against US and regional interests, vowed to reactivate Yongbyon and cut both official communications and key business ties with South Korea. | After UN sanctions were expanded following the most recent test, in February, North Korea issued multiple threats against US and regional interests, vowed to reactivate Yongbyon and cut both official communications and key business ties with South Korea. |
| Operations at the jointly-run inter-Korean Kaesong industrial zone remain suspended - the first such stoppage since the project began. | Operations at the jointly-run inter-Korean Kaesong industrial zone remain suspended - the first such stoppage since the project began. |
| But the threats have diminished in recent weeks and earlier this month, North Korea sent a top envoy to Beijing - its first such move since its nuclear test. | But the threats have diminished in recent weeks and earlier this month, North Korea sent a top envoy to Beijing - its first such move since its nuclear test. |
| Later this week, the US and Chinese presidents meet in California for their first summit, with North Korea likely to be high on the agenda. | Later this week, the US and Chinese presidents meet in California for their first summit, with North Korea likely to be high on the agenda. |