North Korea to restart nuclear reactor

  • 11 years ago
North Korea says it will restart all its nuclear facilities, including its shattered reactor in Yongbyon.

The government says the move would bolster the country's nuclear forces for both electricity and military uses.

North Korea has been angered both by UN sanctions imposed after its nuclear test in February and joint US-South Korea military drills.

South Korea's foreign ministry spokesman has urged the North to stick to denuclearisation.

(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN CHO TAI-YOUNG SAYING:

"If the report is true, it is really regrettable. North Korea should keep their promise and agreements and they should keep to denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Our government will closely monitor the situation."

The reactor -- a source for plutonium for North Korea's nuclear weapons programme -- was closed in 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid-deal.

But the deal fell through because the U.S. and other negotiating

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