US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated yesterday the
government's call for a swift shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear facility in the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"We hope now for rapid progress given the beginning, we believe, of the North
Korean (DPRK) efforts to meet their initial action obligations," Rice said
before meeting South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon at the State
Department.
Song, sharing Rice's viewpoint, said South Korea demands quick movement by
the DPRK to shut down its nuclear facilities, as the financial dispute which had
stalled efforts had now been resolved.
"We will move ahead in shutting down the North Korean nuclear program and
disabling facilities and make a new regional security and peace mechanism," Song
said.
Pyongyang announced Monday that the frozen funds dispute with the United
States has been resolved, and it will start implementing February's disarmament
deal.
While Song is in Washington, a team of inspectors from the International
Atomic Energy Agency have traveled to Pyongyang, the first visit of its kind by
the UN watchdog since late 2002. It follows U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher
Hill's productive visit to the DPRK last Friday.
