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CNN Live At Daybreak

North Korea Expelling Inspectors

Aired December 27, 2002 - 06:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Another major story we're following, North Korea and the planned restart of a controversial nuclear reactor. We are just getting reports now that North Korea is kicking out International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.
Our Seoul, South Korea bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae, is following today's developments, and she joins us now.

Now, I want everybody to understand this. Those two UN inspectors had been in North Korea for some time, and now they're being kicked out. Is that right?

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, that's what we are hearing, Carol. We are hearing that the North Korea Central Media, KCNA, reported that they are ready to expel the two IAEA -- International Atomic Energy Agency -- inspectors that have been in North Korea all throughout the nuclear crisis.

So, we're looking at possibly the nuclear standoff, the stakes being raised just a little bit higher today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So, it just keeps on escalating with no end in sight. I also understand that the United States will send an envoy to South Korea to talk about the problem in the coming weeks.

JIE-AE: Yes, this is a part of the diplomatic efforts that are being made to have a peaceful resolution to this issue to make sure that it doesn't escalate to a level that diplomatic efforts will not be able to work.

Washington has said that it will send envoys to South Korea. South Korea right now is in the midst of a political transition. A week ago, it just elected a new president. This president-elect, Moo- Hyun, is in the midst of trying to gather what he can to try to resolve this issue peacefully. Today, he had some stern words for North Korea. He warned North Korea that if it continued on its nuclear standoff path, that it could hinder inter-Korean cooperative efforts.

He also said what North Korea is doing is going against the international community's wishes for the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and also it went against the Korean peoples' hopes for a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

So, what North Korea is reacting to may be the stern warning from their South Korean (UNINTELLIGIBLE) South Korean neighbor -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Sohn Jie-Ae, thanks for the update from South Korea this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired December 27, 2002 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Another major story we're following, North Korea and the planned restart of a controversial nuclear reactor. We are just getting reports now that North Korea is kicking out International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.
Our Seoul, South Korea bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae, is following today's developments, and she joins us now.

Now, I want everybody to understand this. Those two UN inspectors had been in North Korea for some time, and now they're being kicked out. Is that right?

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, that's what we are hearing, Carol. We are hearing that the North Korea Central Media, KCNA, reported that they are ready to expel the two IAEA -- International Atomic Energy Agency -- inspectors that have been in North Korea all throughout the nuclear crisis.

So, we're looking at possibly the nuclear standoff, the stakes being raised just a little bit higher today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So, it just keeps on escalating with no end in sight. I also understand that the United States will send an envoy to South Korea to talk about the problem in the coming weeks.

JIE-AE: Yes, this is a part of the diplomatic efforts that are being made to have a peaceful resolution to this issue to make sure that it doesn't escalate to a level that diplomatic efforts will not be able to work.

Washington has said that it will send envoys to South Korea. South Korea right now is in the midst of a political transition. A week ago, it just elected a new president. This president-elect, Moo- Hyun, is in the midst of trying to gather what he can to try to resolve this issue peacefully. Today, he had some stern words for North Korea. He warned North Korea that if it continued on its nuclear standoff path, that it could hinder inter-Korean cooperative efforts.

He also said what North Korea is doing is going against the international community's wishes for the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and also it went against the Korean peoples' hopes for a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula.

So, what North Korea is reacting to may be the stern warning from their South Korean (UNINTELLIGIBLE) South Korean neighbor -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Sohn Jie-Ae, thanks for the update from South Korea this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.