North Korea says it is restarting its nuclear facilities, in order toreprocess weapons-grade material. The move deals another serious blowto diplomacy aimed at ridding the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons,and aggravates high tensions in the region.
North Koreaalarmed the world Saturday with an announcement it was beginning toreprocess spent fuel rods from its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon.
ANorth Korean news presenter reads a Foreign Ministry statement thatsays reprocessing the fuel rods will improve North Korea's nucleardeterrent, even as hostile nations ratchet up their military threat.
NorthKorea ejected international nuclear inspectors last week, afterannouncing its withdrawal from "useless" multinationaltalks aimed at ending its nuclear weapons programs. That move was aresponse to a United Nations statement condemning the North's longrange rocket launch two weeks ago.
South Korean officials saythey are not surprised by North Korea's decision. However, ForeignMinister Yu Myung-hwan announced this week that a decision to reprocessnuclear materials would lead to more sanctions by the United Nations.
The United Nations imposed sanctions Friday on three North Korean companies for aiding Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.
KoreaMining Development Trading Corporation, Korea Ryonbong GeneralCorporation and Tanchon Commercial Bank were blacklisted by the U.N.sanctions committee under a 2006 resolution passed after North Koreaconducted its first nuclear weapons test.
North Korea isbelieved to have between five and ten nuclear weapons. Nuclear expertssay their stockpile of unprocessed fuel rods is likely to yield enoughweapons-grade material for at least one more explosive device.
NorthKorea marked the 77th anniversary of its military Saturday. Thecountry's main official newspaper announced it would deal a "mercilessstrike" against the United States and its allies if they touch "even aninch" of North Korean territory.
The current tensions arecomplicated by North Korea's detention of two American journalists anda South Korean executive on political charges.