U.S. halts North Korean nuke plants construction

I think things will heat up in North Korea before election time.


Wed Nov 5, 5:06 PM ET

SEOUL, South Korea - The United States and its key allies agreed Wednesday to suspend construction of two nuclear power plants in North Korea (news - web sites), saying that the energy-starved communist state won't get them unless it gives up its nuclear weapons program.

The move seems likely to kill the $4.6 billion power plants project, because the Bush administration opposes it and officials from the United States, South Korea (news - web sites), Japan and the European Union (news - web sites) have agreed that a unanimous decision would be needed to resume construction.


Also Wednesday, South Korea said new U.S.-made missiles would be deployed next month near its border with the North. With a range of 190 miles, the Army Tactical Missile System Block 1A missiles can hit targets across most of North Korea, including its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, 60 miles north of Pyongyang.


story.news.yahoo.com.../ap/20031105/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear_5


and this just in North Korea will block the U.S. from taking the equipment back:



SEOUL, South Korea Nov. 6 � North Korea said Thursday that it will block the United States and its allies from removing equipment and technical data from the site of two nuclear power plants under construction in the communist state, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

"We will never allow the transferring of equipment, facilities and technical documents out of the Kumho district unless compensations for the stopping of construction of light-water reactors are made," the North Korean spokesman told Pyongyang's state-run news agency KCNA. KCNA was monitored by South Korean news agency Yonhap.

abcnews.go.com...






[Edited on 6-11-2003 by thehippiedude]