Yonhap May 15, 2007
Satellite photos show N.K. once deployed anti-artillery batteries in Yongbyon
WASHINGTON, May 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korea at one time deployed anti-aircraft artillery batteries around its key nuclear facilities just months ahead of a nuclear crisis that led to a collapse of an agreement that had frozen Pyongyang's nuclear activities, according to satellite imageries released Tuesday.
Two photos put up on GlobalSecurity.org, an Internet website, show at least 22 such batteries circling the 50-megawatt reactor under construction, the 5-megawatt reactor, and a reprocessing facility located in the southern part of Yongbyon city.
The images were taken by Digital Globe in March 2002, according to officials contacted at GlobalSecurity.org. It was not immediately confirmed whether the batteries were still deployed.
The time precedes a serious crisis in November that year when the U.S. accused North Korea of operating a secret uranium-based nuclear weapons program in violation of what is known as the Agreed Framework, signed in 1994.
The agreement, made bilaterally between North Korea and the U.S., had suspended Pyongyang's nuclear activities in return for a set of light-water reactors to be built and financed by the international community.
The deal collapsed, however, following the U.S. accusations.
© Copyright 2007, Yonhap
