Friday, June 27, 2008

N. Korea Destroys Cooling Tower at Its Nuclear Facility


As announced last week, North Korea blew up the cooling tower of its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon Friday afternoon to symbolize its commitment to nuclear disarmament, one day after declaring its atomic programs. Interestingly, it was televised live through the CNN. Yongbyon is at the heart of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to shut down the North's nuclear program in exchange for energy aid and major diplomatic and security benefits.


As President G. W. Bush said, it is an important step.
It may affect positively for the time being in the point that North Korea decided to move first.
This grand bargain can work? Does it put an end to the stalemate between the U.S. and the DPRK? We do not know yet. It is hard to predict. But, one certain thing is that it is nothing but a begining of the whole process. The process of verification might be very thorny for both sides in the near future. We thus should not be agitated by NK's symbolic demolition of its nuclear facility. Perhaps, Washington has such a precautious perspective toward North Korea, as seen in the remark from President Bush and Secretary of State, Condi Rice.

"We will trust you only to the extent that you fulfill your promises" [G. W. Bush]

"It is important to get North Korea out of the plutonium business, but that will not be the end of the story'' [Condoleezza Rice ]

Check out a diversity version of articles.


[CNN]
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/27/northkorea.explosion/index.html

[Washington Post]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062700542.html?hpid=topnews

[New York Times]
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/28/world/asia/28korea.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[BBC]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7476755.stm

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