Light Water Reactor Project Practically Stops

The Executive Board of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) has decided to temporarily suspend its project of building a light-water reactor in North Korea for one year when they convened an informal meeting on Tuesday, diplomatic source said.

The United States, a leading member in the board, clarified its determination against the resumption of this project and said, “We want to put an end to the light-water reactor (LWR) project,” at a briefing held the same day.

“The Executive Board has reached an agreement on the future of the LWR project. We will report the outcome of this meeting to each government and will announce officially by October 21,” KEDO spokesman said in a statement.

The Japanese Asahi Shimbun said in its report that Executive Director Charles Kartman paid a visit to the Permanent Mission of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations on Tuesday and conveyed the outcomes that KEDO decided to suspend the LWR project.

The New York Times said, “Bush’s administration has no intention to reopen the energy development program for Pyongyang, and it will kill the LWR project.” In its report, The New York Times estimated that “the announcement indicates the end of the Geneva Agreed Framework.” However, Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan did not rule out the possibility by saying in a press conference held yesterday, “Even though the Geneva Agreed Framework – foundation of the LWR project – has lost its ground greatly, we will decide how to handle the KEDO according to the direction North Korea’s nuclear weapon problem goes towards.” He also added, “Since the project has made little progress due to the lack of equipment and labor forces, withdrawals have been taking place gradually.

A former Assistant Secretary of State, Robert L. Gallucci, who played a contributing role in signing the Geneva Agreed Framework, said in an interview with the New York Times, “it is premature to put an end to the framework.”

Following the signing of the Geneva Agreed Framework, South Korea, the United States, and the European Union (EU) had shared the expenditures of the LWR project. With North Korea’s nuclear weapon program triggering controversy last year, while the United State has voted for the project’s complete termination, South Korea has stood up to the U.S.’ position.