A team of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors has confirmed that the Nyongbyon nuclear reactor in North Korea has been shut down. The move follows a recent understanding reached between the IAEA and Pyongyang with the IAEA team arriving on 14 July to verify the shutdown.
Facilities shut down include the Nyongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant No 1, the Radiochemical Laboratory, the Nyongbyon Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Plant, the Nyongbyon Nuclear Power Plant No 2, and the Nuclear Power Plant at Taechon.
The ten member IAEA team, the first to return to monitor the shutdown after a four-and-a-half year absence, confirmed that the five facilities have been shut down and applied the necessary seals and other measures as appropriate. The installation of surveillance and monitoring equipment by the IAEA team is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
“The IAEA’s verification activities are going smoothly with good cooperation from the DPRK,” IAEA director general, Mohamed ElBaradei said, adding: “This is an important step in the right direction but only the first in a long journey.”
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