Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 6, 2008 11:01:20 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

N. Korea Blows Up Nuclear Tower

Posted Jun 27, 08 6:52 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – North Korea demolished the biggest symbol of its nuclear program today, destroying the water tower of its Yongbyon plutonium facility, which had been used to extract plutonium to build nuclear weapons until it was decommissioned last year. But the huge implosion wasn’t just symbolic—the tower would take at least a year to rebuild, and without it the facility is useless.

The demolition comes a day after North Korea’s celebrated declaration of its plutonium capabilities. President Bush then asked Congress to remove the rogue nation from the State Sponsors of Terror list, though he cautioned that the US “has no illusions about the regime in Pyongyang.”

Source CNN

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • N. Korea Restarts Nuke Program

    Sep 24, 08 6:40 AM CDT
    N. Korea Restarts Nuke Program North Korea plans to reactivate its nuclear program and will start reinserting plutonium-producing nuclear material within a week, reports the AP. Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said that his inspectors removed all agency seals and surveillance equipment from the country's main nuclear facility. He added that "from here on, the IAEA inspectors will have no further access to the reprocessing plant." More »

  • Seoul: N. Korea Is Rebuilding Nuclear Plant

    Sep 3, 08 11:54 AM CDT
    Seoul: N. Korea Is Rebuilding Nuclear Plant South Korea today claimed Pyongyang is restoring its nuclear facilities, just days after stopping disablement work, the AP reports. North Korea blames America for not holding up its end of the deal by failing to follow through on a June promise to reward nuclear disarmament progress by removing it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
    More »

  • N. Korea Suspends Nuclear Shutdown

    Aug 26, 08 6:31 AM CDT
    N. Korea Suspends Nuclear Shutdown North Korea has halted the disablement of its nuclear facilities and says it may restore a reactor that can make material for atomic weapons, Reuters reports. Analysts say the move, which follows a visit to arch-enemy South Korea by pseudo-ally and Chinese President Hu Jintao, appears to be an effort by North Korea to maintain leverage to get the US to remove it from its terror blacklist.
    More »

  • N. Korea OKs Nuclear Inspections

    Jul 12, 08 5:22 PM CDT
    N. Korea OKs Nuclear Inspections North Korean disarmament talks took another halting step today, as the nation agreed in principle to a deal for invasive nuclear inspections, the Washington Post reports. Pyongyang has promised to finish dismantling its Yongbyon reactor by October, and will let inspectors verify that it's down. But negotiators in the six-nation deal failed to hammer out specifics, which means the process may outlive the Bush administration. More »

  • North Korea Hands Over Nuclear Data

    Jun 26, 08 7:36 AM CDT
    North Korea Hands Over Nuclear Data The North Korean regime has submitted a long-awaited rundown of its nuclear program to China, 6 months after its due date. The report is expected to detail the nation's plutonium enrichment efforts, but will probably leave out details of its nuclear arsenal, reports the BBC. The White House responded by notifying Congress of its intent to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism in 45 days. More »

This image from television shows the demolition of the 60-foot-tall cooling tower at its main reactor complex in Yongbyon North Korea Friday June 27, 2008.   (AP Photo/APTN)
The cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear complex near Pyongyang, North Korea.   (AP Photo/Xinhua, Wang Wei, FILE)
In this Feb. 14, 2008 file photo released by U.S. researchers who visited North Korea, the Yongbyon Nuclear Center in North Korea is seen.   (AP Photo/S. S. Hecker, HO, File)
Map locates Yongbyon, North Korea; 1c x 2 5/8 inches; 46.5 mm x 66.7 mm   (AP Photo)
This map shows the location of Yongbyon, the location of North Korea's now inoperative nuclear reactor.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

North Korea  • nuclear disarmament  • Yongbyon  • six party talks  • plutonium  • state sponsors of terror list


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »