skip to main content

N Korea seeks action before further progress

North Korea - Efforts to encourage end to nuclear programme
North Korea - Efforts to encourage end to nuclear programme

North Korea has demanded the US remove it from a list of states that sponsor terrorism before further progress can be made on dismantling its nuclear programme.

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun also said Pyongyang must be removed from the US Trading With the Enemy Act, while addressing Asia-Pacific foreign ministers in Manila.

Mr Pak said North Korea had shut its nuclear operations at Yongbyon and opened them to IAEA inspections and now wanted to see reciprocal action.

North Korea shut down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor complex last month after it began receiving heavy fuel shipments it was offered in return in a February deal.

The next step of the disarmament deal, hammered out between North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US, calls on Pyongyang to 'disable' its nuclear facilities and provide a full accounting of its nuclear weapons programmes.