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A30 world news
Diaranson 1 september 2021

IAEA: N Korea appears to have resumed nuke reactor operation

removed from reactors. for decades. It’s not clear ful sister, Kim Yo Jong, said
exactly how much weapons- North Korea would bol-
“(North Korea’s) nuclear ac- grade plutonium or highly ster “absolute deterrence” to
tivities continue to be a cause enriched uranium has been cope with intensifying U.S.
for serious concern. Further- produced at Yongbyon and threats.
more, the new indications of where North Korea stores it.
the operation of the 5-mega- Lee Jong-joo, spokesperson
watt reactor and the radio- In early 2019, North Korean of South Korea’s Unifica-
chemical laboratory are deep- leader Kim Jong Un offered tion Ministry, said Monday
ly troubling,” the IAEA said. to dismantle the entire com- that South Korea was closely
plex if he won extensive sanc- monitoring North Korea’s
The IAEA has not had ac- tions relief during a summit nuclear and missile activities
cess to Yongbyon or other with then-President Donald along with the United States.
locations in North Korea Trump. But the Americans But she declined to comment
since the country kicked out rejected Kim’s offer because on whether Seoul was see-
(AP) — North Korea ap- highly enriched uranium. IAEA inspectors in 2009. The it would only be a partial sur- ing signs that the North was
pears to have restarted agency said it uses satellite render of his nuclear capabil- reactivating its nuclear facili-
the operation of its main “Since early July 2021, there imagery and open source in- ity. ties.
nuclear reactor used to have been indications, in- formation to monitor devel-
produce weapons fuels, cluding the discharge of cool- opments in North Korea’s North Korea is believed to be White House press secretary
the U.N. atomic agency ing water, consistent with the nuclear program. running multiple other covet Jen Psaki said Monday that
said, as the North open- operation of the reactor,” said The Yongbyon complex also uranium enrichment facili- the Biden administration
ly threatens to enlarge the IAEA report dated Friday. produces highly enriched ties. According to a South was aware of the report and
its nuclear arsenal amid uranium, the other key nu- Korean estimate in 2018, closely coordinating with al-
long-dormant nuclear di- The report said there were clear fuel. The IAEA report North Korea might already lies and partners.
plomacy with the United indications of the operation said “there were indications, have manufactured 20-60
States. of Yongbyon’s radiochemical for a period of time, that nuclear weapons as well. “This report underscores the
laboratory from mid-Febru- the reported centrifuge en- urgent need for dialogue and
The annual report by the In- ary to early July this year. It richment facility was not in In recent months, North diplomacy so we can achieve
ternational Atomic Energy said this period of operation operation” though regular Korea has warned it would the complete denucleariza-
Agency refers to a 5-mega- is consistent with previous vehicular movements were expand its nuclear program tion of the Korean Penin-
watt reactor at the North’s reprocessing campaigns an- observed. if the United States doesn’t sula,” she said. “We continue
main nuclear complex in nounced by North Korea of withdraw its “hostile” policy to seek dialogue with (North
Yongbyon, north of Pyong- irradiated fuel discharged The complex, which North on the North, in an apparent Korea) so we can address this
yang. The reactor produces from the reactor. The labo- Korea calls “the heart” of reference to U.S.-led sanc- reported activity and the full
plutonium, one of the two ratory is a facility where its nuclear program and re- tions and regular U.S.-South range of issues related to de-
key ingredients used to build plutonium is extracted by search, has been at the cen- Korean military drills. Earlier nuclearization.”
nuclear weapons along with reprocessing spent fuel rods ter of international concerns this month, Kim’s power-

UK vets euthanize alpaca with bovine TB after public battle

(AP) — British govern- Helen Macdonald, argued to stop its spread for a decade, tion and our sympathies re- follow the scientific evidence
ment veterinarians on the tests had produced false but the practice remains con- main with all those affected and cull animals that have
Tuesday killed Geronimo, positives and battled for a tentious. by this devastating disease,” tested positive for bTB to
an alpaca whose sentence third test. said U.K. Chief Veterinary minimize spread of this in-
of death for carrying bo- The government said that Officer Christine Mid- sidious disease and ultimately
vine tuberculosis made Several veterinarians backed 27,000 cattle were slaugh- dlemiss. eradicate the biggest threat to
international headlines her cause, but earlier this tered in 2020 to curb the animal health in this coun-
and pitted animal activists month a High Court judge spread of the disease. “No one wants to have to try,” she said.
against the state. rejected Macdonald’s request cull infected animals if it can
for a temporary injunction to “This is a terribly sad situa- be avoided. But we need to
Veterinary staff in blue over- stop the killing order and re-
alls, masks and goggles, open the case.
backed by police officers, ar-
rived at the western England Macdonald, who imported
farm where the animal lives, Geronimo from New Zea-
and took Geronimo from land in 2017, said the ani-
his pen. The scene was wit- mal’s destruction was “bar-
nessed by animal activists and baric” and unscientific.
journalists who have camped
out at the farm in Wickwar, “The government have re-
110 miles (175 kilometers) fused to engage in good
west of London, vowing to faith,” she said. “We now
stop the killing. know they have been string-
ing us along for the last week,
The Department for the En- fobbing us off by saying that
vironment, Food and Rural people were on holiday and
Affairs confirmed the animal would get back to us this
had been euthanized and a week. … In fact, all the time,
post-mortem examination they were simply planning to
would be conducted. murder Geronimo.”

The controversial camelid Bovine TB can devastate cat-
was sentenced to death after tle herds and hurt farm reve-
twice testing positive for bo- nues. Britain has been culling
vine TB. Geronimo’s owner, animals — chiefly badgers —