Japan, U.S. weigh pulling plug

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Japan, U.S. weigh pulling plug

TOKYO -- Japan and the United States are considering temporarily halting the nuclear reactor project in North Korea, in the aftermath of the revelation that Pyeongyang has been maintaining a secret nuclear program in violation of a 1994 agreement to freeze its nuclear weapons activities.

James Kelly, the U. S. presidential envoy, and Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yasuo Fukuda, reportedly discussed suspending construction of the nonmilitary reactors in North Korea. The 1994 Geneva Agreed Framework promised to build the reactors for the North and to supply it with fuel oil in return for Pyeongyang's freezing its nuclear development and complying with international guidelines on nuclear nonproliferation.

U.S. and South Korean officials disclosed Thursday that Pyeongyang had admitted to continuing its nuclear program and had called the 1994 pact "nullified."

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a day prior to Mr. Kelly's visit here, said he would discuss suspension of the project when he meets leaders of South Korea and the United States Saturday at a regional economic forum in Mexico.

Pyeongyang's options appear to be limited unless it agrees to give up its nuclear program at normalization talks with Tokyo schedule to take place in Malaysia on Oct. 29. Mr. Koizumi warned Friday that restoring diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Pyeongyang would be possible only if the North pledges to abandon the program.

Officials in Seoul sought to rescue the framework of the 1994 agreement, denying as "unconfirmed and speculative" a New York Times report that Washington had decided to scrap the accord. A senior Foreign Ministry official said Mr. Kelly had indicated Saturday that "nothing had been decided on the 1994 agreement." Another South Korean official noted that such a decision, with far-reaching consequences for the security balance of the peninsula, would likely have been preceded by consultations with Seoul.

Mr. Kelly told reporters Saturday in Seoul that there would be no "replay of 1993 and 1994," indicating that Washington would be less open to a deal this time. "We hope to bring maximum international pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions," Mr. Kelly said. He also relayed China's "strong objections" to "any nuclear weapons" on the peninsula.

Washington had no objections to continuing inter-Korea exchanges, however, according to a senior Korean official.

by Oh Day-young, Oh Young-hwan

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