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American Morning
Escalating Nuclear Threat in North Korea
Aired December 27, 2002 - 08:05 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, though, we turn to the escalating nuclear threat in North Korea. There may soon be no international monitors to check on the nuclear facilities that that country is restarting. The government's news agency says North Korea has decided to kick out the U.N. inspectors.
Sohn Jie-Ae joins us from Seoul, South Korea with the latest on this story -- hello.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
We have received confirmation that the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency has been told that its inspectors will be asked to leave North Korea. North Korea has said that these inspectors are no longer needed because it has decided to reactivate the frozen nuclear facilities at Yongbuoyng (ph).
Now, since North Korea removed the surveillance cameras and the safety seals on the nuclear reactors, these inspectors were the only way that the outside world knew of North Korea's nuclear activities. North Korea also said that it was reactivating a research lab that could be used to process the spent fuel rods into weapons grade plutonium. So it seems that North Korea is step by step living up to its threat to reactivate the nuclear program -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And, Jia-Ae, how is this news playing in South Korea where you are?
JIE-AE: Well, South Koreans are very concerned about the escalating nuclear crisis and how it will affect their country and, of course, relations with North Korea. The person that is mostly concerned about this is stock's President Elect Roh Moo-hyun. He was elected just a week ago, saying that he will continue in an engagement policy with North Korea, in other words, trying to resolve North Korea's problems through dialogue.
Now, he has started talked very tough in recent days and he will have to walk a very delicate line between talking tough to try to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and also trying to convince North Korea through dialogue that it is to its best interests to do so.
So Roh Moo-hyun at this is in a very tight spot -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Sohn Jie-Ae in Seoul, South Korea.
Jia-Ae, thank you very much. 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 - 08:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, though, we turn to the escalating nuclear threat in North Korea. There may soon be no international monitors to check on the nuclear facilities that that country is restarting. The government's news agency says North Korea has decided to kick out the U.N. inspectors.
Sohn Jie-Ae joins us from Seoul, South Korea with the latest on this story -- hello.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
We have received confirmation that the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency has been told that its inspectors will be asked to leave North Korea. North Korea has said that these inspectors are no longer needed because it has decided to reactivate the frozen nuclear facilities at Yongbuoyng (ph).
Now, since North Korea removed the surveillance cameras and the safety seals on the nuclear reactors, these inspectors were the only way that the outside world knew of North Korea's nuclear activities. North Korea also said that it was reactivating a research lab that could be used to process the spent fuel rods into weapons grade plutonium. So it seems that North Korea is step by step living up to its threat to reactivate the nuclear program -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And, Jia-Ae, how is this news playing in South Korea where you are?
JIE-AE: Well, South Koreans are very concerned about the escalating nuclear crisis and how it will affect their country and, of course, relations with North Korea. The person that is mostly concerned about this is stock's President Elect Roh Moo-hyun. He was elected just a week ago, saying that he will continue in an engagement policy with North Korea, in other words, trying to resolve North Korea's problems through dialogue.
Now, he has started talked very tough in recent days and he will have to walk a very delicate line between talking tough to try to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and also trying to convince North Korea through dialogue that it is to its best interests to do so.
So Roh Moo-hyun at this is in a very tight spot -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Sohn Jie-Ae in Seoul, South Korea.
Jia-Ae, thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
