ĦĦĦĦSEOUL, Dec. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korea in a strong
statement called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to
immediately withdraw its decision to re-activate its frozen nuclear facilities,
said a foreign ministry spokesman, on Thursday. ĦĦĦĦ
ĦĦĦĦ"We (the government) urge the DPRK again to observe all the obligations
stipulated in the 1994 Geneva Accord, Inter-Korean De-nuclearization
Declaration, Non-proliferation Treaty and International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) safeguards," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sok Dong-yon said in the
statement.
ĦĦĦĦThe statement was released after a National Security Council (NSC) meeting
was hastily convened following the DPRK Foreign Ministry declaration, via the
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) inthe afternoon.
ĦĦĦĦ"Our government expresses strong regret and concern about the North's
declaration as it can create tension on the Korean Peninsula," the South Korean
spokesman said.
ĦĦĦĦSok emphasized that the DPRK's nuclear issues should be addressed
peacefully, through dialogue as soon as possible.
ĦĦĦĦThe government will closely watch future developments while maintaining its
close cooperation with the United States and Japan,he added.
ĦĦĦĦA DPRK's Foreign Ministry spokesman, earlier on Thursday, declared that the
DPRK will immediately resume the operation and construction of nuclear
facilities required for the production of electric power.
ĦĦĦĦThe decision in November by the Korean Peninsula Energy Development
Organization (KEDO) to suspend heavy oil shipments tothe country has caused a
great hole on DPRK's electricity production.
ĦĦĦĦThe KEDO, an international consortium led by the United States,claimed that
confirmation by the DPRK to visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific Affairs, James Kelly,in October, that it had a secret nuclear
development plan violatedthe 1994 Agreed Framework.
ĦĦĦĦIn the treaty, signed by the United States and the DPRK, the DPRK agreed to
suspend its nuclear program in return for two lightwater reactors and 500,000
tons of heavy oil each year provided bythe US government. Enditem
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