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IAEA PRESS RELEASE 94/27

15 JUNE WITHDRAWAL OF DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA FROM INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

In its capacity as depositary of the Statute of the IAEA, the Government of the United States of America has transmitted to the Agency a letter of 13 June in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has communicated to the United States the decision of the DPRK to withdraw from the IAEA as of 13 June 1994. The validity of the safeguards agreement concluded between the DPRK and the Agency pursuant to the Non-Proliferation Treaty is not affected by the DPRK's withdrawal from the IAEA.

(Text of DPRK Diplomatic Notes follow.)

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LETTER FROM THE USA TO DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE IAEA:

June 15, 1994

Dr. Hans Blix
Director General
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna, Austria

Dear Director General:

By diplomatic note dated June 13, 1994, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea informed the United States of America, as depository of the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea decided to withdraw from the IAEA as of June 13, 1994. A text of the DPRK diplomatic note is enclosed.

In accordance with IAEA Statute XVIII, Article D, the United States of America, as the depository government, is required to promptly inform the Board of Governors and all members of withdrawal of the DPRK from membership in the Agency. It would be greatly appreciated if you would please bring the DPRK's withdrawal from the Agency to the attention of all the members of the Agency by circulating a copy of this letter including a text of the DPRK's diplomatic note.

Sincerely, John B. Ritch III
Ambassador

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TEXT OF DPRK DIPLOMATIC NOTE

Pyongyang, 13 June 1994

His Excellency Warren Christopher
Secretary of State
United States of America
Washington, D.C.

I wish to remind you that the Secretariat oaf the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA/Agency) invoked the authority of the Agency's Board of Governors to adopt on June 10, 1994 an unjust Board "resolution," imposing "sanctions" against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), an action that has jeopardized the supreme interest of the DPRK, flagrantly encroached upon its sovereign rights and dignity, and created such a circumstance which makes it impossible for the DPRK to maintain normal relations with the IAEA any longer. The further inspections for the continuity of safeguards we have accepted with goodwill despite our unique status based on the temporary suspension of the effectuation of our declared withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and the more we have dealt with the Agency Secretariat, the worse the problem has become rather than be resolved. This is the serious lesson and conclusion that we have drawn from what we have so far experienced in accepting the Agency's inspections. All the facts demonstrate that the IAEA Secretariat has pursued the dishonest political purposes of stifling the DPRK under the pretext of its inspections rather than seek a fair resolution of the nuclear issue.

With regard to the recent adoption by the Agency Secretariat of another unjust "resolution" despite our strong opposition and warnings, I have been authorized to inform through you, the Government of the United States of America, the depository government, that, in accordance with Paragraph D of Article XVIII of the IAEA's Statute, the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea decided to withdraw from the International Atomic Energy Agency as of June 13, 1994.

Yours sincerely,

Kim Yong Nam
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Democratic People's Republic of Korea