N.Korea Publicly Destroys Nuclear Plant Tower

N.Korea Publicly Destroys Nuclear Plant Tower

People watch a television broadcasting the demolition of North Korea's cooling tower at its main nuclear reactor complex, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul on Friday. North Korea destroyed the most visible symbol of its nuclear weapons program Friday in a sign of its commitment to stop making plutonium for atomic bombs. The writing on the screen reads "Demolish, North Korea Cooling Tower." /AP Bush Moves on Terror List as N.Korea Files N-Declaration Bush's Two Faces, by Hong Jun-ho U.S. 'Wants to Be Sure About N.Korea’s Nukes' Rice Focusing on N.Korea’s Nuclear Dismantlement Six-Party Talks to Continue: Seoul, Washington Vow N.Korea Nuke Facility ‘Could Be Blown Up This Month’ Nuclear Declaration Must be Full and Accurate N.Korea 'Hands Over Key Nuclear Documents' S.Korea, U.S., Japan in Fresh Nuclear Meeting North Korea has put on a very visual spectacle to persuade the world it is serious about ending its nuclear programs. With international cameras rolling, Pyongyang blew up a cooling tower at its main nuclear facility in Yongbyon on Friday. The explosion, attended by U.S. envoy Sung Kim, was a move by Pyongyang to demonstrate in very visual terms its compliance with a multinational agreement to eventually end its nuclear weapons capabilities altogether. China, Russia, Japan, the United States, and South Korea have promised the North energy, financial and diplomatic benefits in exchange for steps in that direction. Disabling the Yongbyon plant is one of the first steps in the deal. Pyongyang completed another key step Thursday, when it submitted a six-month overdue declaration of its nuclear programs to China. Foreign Ministers of the G8 grouping of advanced industrial nations, meeting in Kyoto, Japan, are welcoming the North's actions. Japanese Foreign Minister Koumura Masahiko says North Korea will be held to its promises. He says the G8 Foreign Ministers agreed on the importance of strictly verifying North Korea's declaration. Cho Seong-ryeol, of the Institute for International Security Studies in Seoul, believes North Korea is sending a message to the international community. He says blowing up the tower is a signal that isolated North Korea wants to return to the international community. Daniel Pinkston, an analyst in Seoul with the International Crisis Group, points out the Yongbyon facility was decades obsolete and unsafe. Nevertheless, he views the demolition as progress. "Many critics will argue that it's something that should be shut down anyway... but nevertheless the reality is that they [North Korea] do not have the capability to produce weapons-grade plutonium now, and I think that is positive in terms of international security," he said. Six-nation talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear capabilities altogether are expected to reconvene within days or weeks in Beijing. VOA News