Grim outlook for North Korea negotiations
Friday, 26 Sep 2008 09:59
North Korea's nuclear resumption worries South Korea
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North Korea's decision to reverse the dismantling of its nuclear capability is endangering negotiations with the international community, it has been warned.
South Korea's foreign minister Yu Myung-hwan gave a gloomy assessment of the situation after the reclusive state barred UN inspectors from its nuclear facility at Yongbyon on Wednesday.
That is the latest step backwards after the positive progress seen in recent months was halted in a row over North Korea's removal from the US' list of state sponsors of terrorism.
As a result North Korea has resumed its preparations for plutonium reprocessing at Yongbyon, which had seen the demolition of its cooling tower in a symbolic act of compliance as late as June.
Mr Yu told reporters the negotiators faced a "difficult situation where we may be going back to square one".
He also suggested the strategy may be linked to the upcoming
US presidential election.
Agreement was originally reached in February 2007 following nuclear tests by North Korea the previous year after six-party talks between the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the US.
Under the terms of that deal North Korea would receive shipments of fuel aid in return for ending its nuclear capability.