A DigitalGlobe satellite image shows a nuclear facility in Yongbyon, DPRK September 29, 2004. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facilities, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack announced Saturday.

    "The U.S. has been informed Saturday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shut down its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon," McCormack said in a statement.

    "We welcome this development and look forward to the verification and monitoring of this shutdown by the International Atomic Energy Agency team that has arrived in the DPRK," he said.

    McCormack made the announcement after a 10-member team of UN inspectors arrived in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK earlier in the day to verify and monitor the shutdown and sealing of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon

    The Yongbyon reactor is situated at some 90 kilometers north of Pyongyang.

    McCormack said that the United States and all other partners in the six-party talks, namely the DPRK, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, are expecting further progress under the Feb. 13 agreement.

    "We, along with all our other Six-Party partners, remain firmly committed to achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through the implementation of the September 2005 Joint Statement."

    "With the Six-Party Talks negotiators set to meet July 18 in Beijing, we look forward to working with all parties to make rapid progress in implementing the next phase set forth in the February 13 agreement on initial actions, in which the DPRK has committed to declaring all its nuclear programs and disabling all its existing nuclear facilities," the spokesman said.

Related:

    IAEA inspectors arrive in DPRK to verify shutdown of nuclear facilities

    PYONGYANG, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A 10-member team of U.N. inspectors arrived in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on Saturday to verify and monitor the shutdown and sealing of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon.

    Upon his arrival in Pyongyang, Adel Tolba, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) inspection team, refused to answer any questions from awaiting reporters.