IAEA Press Releases
Press Release 2008/17
DPRK Grants IAEA Access to Yongbyon Facilities
13 October 2008 | Following is a statement to the media by IAEA Spokesperson Melissa Fleming on the situation in the DPRK:
The Democratic People´s Republic of Korea today granted the Agency access to the 5 Megawatt Experimental Nuclear Power Plant, the Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Plant and the reprocessing facility at Yongbyon. As you will recall, the DPRK informed the IAEA on 9 October that its access to these facilities would no longer be permitted.
The Agency inspectors were also informed today that, as of tomorrow, 14 October, core discharge activities at the reactor would be resumed, monitored by Agency inspectors.
Agency inspectors will also now be permitted to re-apply the containment and surveillance measures at the reprocessing facility.
The Agency has not yet been briefed on the details of the verification measures agreed to by the U.S. and the DPRK as a baseline for a Verification Protocol. We assume that we will be fully briefed once all the Six Parties have met to consider it.
Naturally, any additional verification role envisaged for the Agency under the Verification Protocol that goes beyond the IAEA´s present ad hoc monitoring and verification arrangement with the DPRK will require Board authorization.
Press Contacts
Press Office
Division of Public Information
[43-1] 2600-21273
About the IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) serves as the world's foremost intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Established as an autonomous organization under the United Nations (UN) in 1957, the IAEA carries out programmes to maximize the useful contribution of nuclear technology to society while verifying its peaceful use.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit the Press Section of the IAEA's website (http://www.iaea.org/Resources/Journalists/), or call the IAEA's Division of Public Information at (431) 2600-21273.