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N. Korea started uranium enrichment before 2002: Seoul minister
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, June 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is believed to have started a uranium enrichment program before the U.S. government raised the accusation in 2002 and has no intent to terminate it, even after years of multilateral negotiations, Seoul's unification minister said Monday.
In a parliamentary hearing called after Pyongyang's announcement on starting uranium enrichment, Hyun In-taek acknowledged conservative Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers' argument that North Korea's nuclear programs are not just a negotiating tactic toward the United States, as claimed by liberals, but its ultimate goal.
"As the U.S. raised the accusation in 2002, I believe (the uranium enrichment program) had started before that. I believe it has been there for at least seven to eight years," Hyun said, asked by Rep. Chung Ok-im of the GNP about how long the North has been running the uranium enrichment program.
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party did not attend the hearing due to procedural disputes.
Hours after the U.N. Security Council issued a resolution condemning its May nuclear test, the North said over the weekend that it will "weaponize" all the plutonium it has and start enriching uranium to provide fuel for a light-water reactor it plans to build. The official announcement of the uranium enrichment plan answered years of U.S. speculation that North Korea may have an alternative highly enriched uranium nuclear program, widely viewed as more dangerous than its existing plutonium-based one.
The ruling GNP lawmakers of the National Assembly unification, foreign affairs and trade committee unanimously denounced previous liberal governments for downplaying the accusation raised by the George W. Bush government.
According to Washington, North Korea acknowledged running the clandestine program when James Kelly, U.S. assistant secretary of state, visited Pyongyang in October 2002. North Korea later denied saying that. The nuclear crisis gave birth to the six-party negotiations also involving the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia.
Seoul officials under the then Roh Moo-hyun government later said the U.S. accusation may have been exaggerated by U.S. "neo-cons."
The minister nodded when asked by Rep. Chung Jin-seok of the GNP whether North Korea intended to retain nuclear weapons while agreeing to summit talks and joint economic ventures with the previous liberal governments.
"Judging from the recent developments, I think such intent has now been revealed," Hyun said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
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