DATE=8/13/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-237011 TITLE=NORTH KOREA/ NUCLEAR (L-ONLY) BYLINE=JENNIFER VEALE DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NORTH KOREA THREATENED AGAIN (THURSDAY) TO RESTART ITS FROZEN NUCLEAR PROGRAM. AS JENNIFER VEALE REPORTS FROM SEOUL THE COMMUNIST NORTH SAYS IT MIGHT CARRY OUT THE THREAT IF WASHINGTON FAILS TO DROP ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. TEXT: THE OFFICIAL NORTH KOREAN NEWS AGENCY QUOTED A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL AS SAYING WASHINGTON IS NOT FULFILLING ITS TERMS OF THE 1994 AGREEMENT. UNDER THAT AGREEMENT NORTH KOREA AGREED TO DISMANTLE ITS SUSPECTED NUCLEAR PROGRAM IN RETURN FOR TWO PEACETIME NUCLEAR REACTORS. THE ACCORD WAS REACHED AFTER TENSIONS BETWEEN PYONGYANG AND WASHINGTON ALMOST PUT THE TWO ON A WAR FOOTING. THE OFFICIAL REPORTEDLY SAID NORTH KOREA WOULD BE FORCED TO TAKE, WHAT HE TERMED, THE UNDESIRABLE OPTION OF REACTIVATING NUCLEAR FACILITIES UNLESS THE UNITED STATES MET ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE ACCORD AND DROPPED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. THE UNITED STATES MAINTAINS ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST COMMUNIST NORTH KOREA THAT VIRTUALLY PROHIBIT TRADE BETWEEN THE TWO. ONGOING TALKS HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON REDUCING FRINGE SANCTIONS, SUCH AS THE UNFREEZING OF NORTH KOREAN ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT MOST SANCTIONS ARE STILL IN PLACE. IN RECENT MONTHS, IN PROTEST OF DELAYS IN THE DELIVERY OF FUEL OIL TO POWER NORTH KOREA UNTIL THE REACTORS ARE COMPLETED, PYONGYANG HAS REPEATEDLY DEMANDED THE U-S SCRAP SANCTIONS . THE LATEST THREAT IS VIEWED BY POLITICAL OBSERVERS AS NORTH KOREA'S WAY OF SAYING IT WILL RESUME REPROCESSING OF PLUTONIUM TO WEAPONS-GRADE STATUS IF ITS DEMANDS ARE NOT MET. THE NORTH KOREAN OFFICIAL QUOTED BY STATE MEDIA SAID PYONGYANG WOULD MAKE A DECISION NEXT WEEK, FOLLOWING TALKS WITH U-S OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK. (SIGNED) NEB/JV/GC/RAE 13-Aug-98 8:07 AM EDT (1207 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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