DPRK nuclear reactor project likely to be suspended

A US-led international consortium is seeking to suspend the construction of a nuclear reactor project in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for one more year, a South Korean official said Wednesday.

"The project is linked with North Korea's nuclear issue," South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying in testimony to the National Assembly's committee handling unification, diplomacy and trade.

Chung also said South Korea and other executive board members of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) -- the United States, Japan and the European Union -- are discussing whether to extend the one-year suspension.

The KEDO announced in December 2003 a one-year suspension of two power-generating nuclear reactors under construction in the DPRK under a 1994 deal.

The decision was made for the United States and its allies who wanted to pressure the DPRK to abandon its nuclear program.

Nevertheless, the six-party talks aimed at solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula did not make important breakthrough after three rounds of talks.

Moreover, according to Yonhap, Chang Sun-sup, South Korea's envoy in charge of the project, said KEDO officials have already sounded out the opinions of all executive members about suspending the project further.

The 4.6 billion US dollar reactor project is a key part of the 1994 deal. The project was originally scheduled to be completed by 2004.

Source: Xinhua