hankyoreh

North Korea continues to deny that it has a uranium-based nuclear program, creating a major obstacle to international efforts for the North's denuclearization, Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said Thursday.

Song's remarks came as North Korea is getting ready to submit a list of all of its nuclear programs by year's end under an aid-for-denuclearization deal that involves the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia.

The United States has complained that the draft list prepared by North Korea is missing its long-suspected uranium enrichment program, which triggered the ongoing nuclear crisis in late 2002.

"Before trying to predict where it (the denuclearization process) will go, we are trying to overcome that obstacle. In other words, it is true that we are currently facing an obstacle," Song told a press briefing. "We believe the North's uranium enrichment program is an issue that needs to be discussed further among related countries." Song noted the North's preliminary report said it has produced only some 30 kilograms of plutonium, far less than the 50 kilograms that the U.S. and South Korean governments believe the North was capable of producing.

Song, however, said it was too soon to declare the reported amount to be false.

"I think it will be too rash to say that North Korea has lost its willingness to honestly disclose its nuclear programs because it says it has 30 kilograms of plutonium. Whether it claims to have 30 kilograms or 35 kilograms, we need to first verify it thoroughly," Song said.

The foreign minister also said there has been some progress in the six-nation talks, citing the beginning of work to disable North Korea's key nuclear facilities early last month.

In the deal signed in October, North Korea promised to disable its sole operational nuclear reactor and other facilities at Yongbyon and disclose all its nuclear programs before the end of the year. In return, the impoverished nation is to receive up to 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil or equivalent aid and political benefits.

Hyon Hak-bong, deputy director of the U.S. affairs bureau at the North's Foreign Ministry, on Wednesday said the disablement of the Yongbyon facilities may slow down due to delays in the provision of the promised aid.

Song, however, said the work to disable the Yongbyon complex is continuing without any major disruption despite some difficulties in proceeding with both the disablement and declaration.


SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap)