New Satellite Photos Show Construction at N.Korea Nuclear Site

April 28, 2011

A U.S.-based security organization says North Korea is making progress on what

Pyongyang says is a light water reactor that has raised new international

concerns about the secretive North's nuclear weapons program.

The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) on Wednesday

released satellite images showing construction activity at the Yongbyon nuclear

complex -- the North Korean site where two U.S. scientists were shown a

sophisticated uranium processing facility last year.

The ISIS images, taken commercially March 8, show a construction crane and what

appears to be building material along with what analysts say is a 21-meter

cylinder whose exact use was not clear.

Weeks later, on March 24, several South Korean news reports said separate

satellite imagery showed what could be a new nuclear facility next to the

cylinder. The Korean Broadcasting Service aired the imagery and highlighted

another structure that the ISIS says was not present in its photos 16 days

earlier.

Six-nation talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program have been suspended

since 2009, when North Korea walked out in protest over criticism of its nuclear

weapons and missile programs. But in recent months the North has pressed to

restart the talks.

However, the United States and South Korea have demanded concrete commitments

from Pyongyang before resuming negotiations, with South Korea demanding

apologies from the North for an attack on a South Korean warship that killed 46

seamen last year. Pyongyang insists it had nothing to do with the sinking. The

North has also refused to apologize for shelling Yeonpyeong Island in November

that killed two marines and two South Korean civilians. Pyongyang says it was

responding to a South Korean provocation when its forces opened fire on the

island.

VOA News / Apr. 28, 2011 12:16 KST

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