Letter from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the DPRK’S decision to restart reactors

Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei
Director General
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna

I would like to inform you that the freeze on our nuclear facilities which has been maintained pursuant to the DPRK-USA Agreed Framework so far will be lifted from December 13, 2002 by the decision the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has taken on December 12, 2002.

As you know, the USA, on November 14, made public its decision to suspend the Heavy Fuel Oil supply which had been done pursuant to the DPRK-USA Agreed Framework and has actually stopped the HFO supply from December.

The USA has completely broken the Agreed Framework by giving up unilaterally its HFO supply obligation after systematically violating the DPRK-USA Agreed Framework.

The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has decided to take measures to lift the freeze on our nuclear facilities which has been in effect on the premise of the 500.000MT of HFO supply per anum under the Agreed Framework and to normalize the operation of the facilities necessary for power generation.

Accordingly, the IAEA is requested to take necessary measure to remove the seals and monitoring cameras on all of our nuclear facilities.

This decision of our Government is the just counter measure to cope with the complete collapse of the agreed items, which are interrelated with each other by simultaneous action under the DPRK-USA Agreed Framework.

I conclude to further inform you that if the IAEA fails to expeditiously take measures to meet our request. We would like to take necessary measures unilaterally.

I hereby enclose a copy of the statement of the Foreign Ministry Spokesman issued on December 12, 2002 concerning the lifting of the freeze on our nuclear facilities.

With Regards,

RI Je Son
Director General
General Department of Atomic Energy
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Pyongyang