North Korea denied on Thursday that it was planning to develop nuclear weapons by moving to reactivate a power plant that it froze under a 1994 deal with the United States.
”The United States is going around trying to stir public opinion internationally, as though this is a sign of developing nuclear weapons,” state-run Radio Pyongyang said in a commentary.
”Our measure has got nothing to do with plans to develop nuclear weapons. Our republic constantly maintains an anti-nuclear, peace-loving position,” the radio said. The report was carried bySouth Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
On Wednesday, North Korea began shifting fresh fuel rods into the mothballed nuclear reactor at the centre of a diplomatic standoff with the United States, according to news reports. The move deepened concerns it was preparing to restart facilities that experts say could produce nuclear weapons within months.
North Korean radio said the facilities were being restarted in order to generate electricity because the United States had reneged on a deal to provide energy sources.
”This is a rightful response to protect our sovereignty and our right to existence,” the radio said. ”Our nuclear activities are peaceful in nature.” – Sapa-AP