U.S.: N. Korea claims reactor shutdown

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

U.S.: N. Korea claims reactor shutdown

1 hour, 30 minutes ago

PYONGYANG, North Korea - North Korea told the United States it
shut down its nuclear reactor, the State Department said Saturday,
hours after a ship cruised into port loaded with oil promised in
return for the country's pledge to disarm.

If confirmed by a U.N. inspection team headed to the Yongbyon
reactor, the shutdown would be the North's first step in nearly
five years toward de-nuclearization.

"We welcome this development and look forward to the verification
and monitoring of this shutdown by the International Atomic Energy
Agency team," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said
in a statement.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070714/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear

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BTW, 10000th post.

[pinto]

1. One of the few members of this Administration with some real cred, Christopher Hill,

probably had a hand in brokering this deal.

[gulliver]

2. So the reactor is now off like it was under Clinton.

Good job, Bush administration! High fives, baby!

You finally got the reactor that was off under Clinton (and was turned on under Bush) back off! And it only cost you 50,000 tons of oil! You guys are fantastic!

And in addition to getting the reactor North Korea turned on during your watch turned back off, you got them to pledge to disarm! That is just super! I guess we can expect the crates of plutonium they created while the reactor was on to start shipping out of North Korea any day now, right?

Another typical Bush Administration and GOP triumph! When's the parade?

[Eugene]

3. IAEA Says North Korea Has Shut Reactor

Source: Associated Press

IAEA Says North Korea Has Shut Reactor

Monday July 16, 2007 6:16 AM

By KWANG-TAE KIM

Associated Press Writer

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - United Nations inspectors have
verified that North Korea has shut down its sole functioning
nuclear reactor, the chief of the watchdog agency said
Monday, confirming the isolated country had taken its first
step in nearly five years to halt production of atomic
weapons.

South Korea sent more oil to the North on Monday to reward
its compliance with an international disarmament agreement.

“Our inspectors are there. They verified the shutting down of
the reactor yesterday,” said Mohamed ElBaradei, chief of the
U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency.

“The process has been going quite well and we have had good
cooperation from North Korea. It's a good step in the right
direction,” ElBaradei said in Bangkok, where he was to attend
an event sponsored by Thailand's Ministry of Science.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6781828,00.html