North Korea Shuts Down Main Nuclear Reactor

North Korea has shut down its main nuclear reactor, UN inspectors verified today.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told reporters in Bangkok the shutting of the Yongbyon reactor was "a good step in the right direction".

The move is part of a deal agreed in February, in which Pyongyang pledged to disarm in exchange for fuel aid.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the US Government welcomed the development, saying it looked forward to the verification by inspectors today.

Under the terms of the disarmament agreement, struck in February after intense negotiations, Pyongyang is to receive 50,000 tons of fuel aid for shutting Yongbyon down and another 950,000 tons for disabling all its nuclear facilities.

The IAEA chief says that the next step is to verify the shutdown of other nuclear facilities and then disable them.

Talks between representatives from the six countries involved in the deal - North Korea, Japan, China, Russia, the US and South Korea - are to resume this week in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

By staff writer