North Korea Defies Calls for Denuclearization

North Korea’s announcement that it is in the final stages of enriching uranium could give it a second path to building a nuclear weapon.

The international community has yet to convince the reclusive communist state to give up its nuclear weapons program which is seen as a major threat to North Asian stability.

South Korea’s government says that what the North is doing is regrettable.

[Moon Tae-young, South Korean Foreign Ministry]:
„It cannot be tolerated that North Korea disclaimed the international community’s decisive will for denuclearization of North Korea and regional peace and stability in Northeast Asia. We will closely cooperate with related countries to urge North Korea to abolish its nuclear weapons program and return to six party talks as soon as possible for denuclearization in a true sense.“

Experts have said the North has not developed anything near a full-scale enrichment program.

The North has already tested two plutonium-based nuclear devices.

One in May triggered tight international sanctions against it.

North Korea walked away from six-nation talks over its nuclear weapons program last December.

Those talks included the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the United States.

Pyongyang was offered massive aid and an end to isolation if it gives up its efforts to build an atomic arsenal.

(NTDTV)