| IAEA Secretary General Rafael Grossie is arriving at Vienna International Airport after visiting Iran on the 21st (local time). © AFP=News1 © News1 Reporter Dongmyeong Woo |
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently announced that nuclear facilities are still operating in the Gangseon area near Pyongyang, North Korea.
According to the Voice of the United States (VOA) on the 2nd, IAEA Secretary General Rafael Grossie said at the IAEA’s first regular board meeting held in Vienna, Austria on the 1st (local time), “After the report of the 3rd board meeting in September last year, some of North Korea’s nuclear-related facilities have been shut down. Yes, but some are still running,” he said.
He said, “Inside construction of the experimental light water reactor, including the cold water reactor facility test, is in progress.”
Secretary-General Grossey said that there is a recent situation in North Korea for the operation of thermal power plants used in radiochemical laboratories.
As a specific region, he pointed out the’gang line’, and said that it is judged that nuclear-related activities are continuing in this area. Secretary-General Grossey announced in November last year that the regular board of directors also viewed the Gangsun region as being related to nuclear activities.
“There were no signs of producing enriched uranium at the centrifuge enrichment facility in Yongbyon,” said Grossi, and said that no indications of the operation of the 5-megawatt (MW) reactor were confirmed.
“The continued North Korean nuclear activity raises serious concerns,” he pointed out. “This is a serious regret that it clearly violated the resolution of the UN Security Council.”
He added, “I urge North Korea to fulfill its obligations according to the resolution of the Security Council,” and emphasized that “we must cooperate with the IAEA to implement the safeguards of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and solve problems that occurred during the absence of the IAEA inspection team.”
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