IAEA team likely to arrive in NKorea on July 14

Seoul, July 11: UN nuclear inspectors will likely arrive in North Korea on Saturday to verify a promised shutdown of the country's nuclear reactor and source of arms-grade plutonium, the head of the IAEA said today.

North Korea seems poised to shut its antiquated Yongbyon reactor as a part of a six-way disarmament deal reached in February, and the International Atomic Energy Agency said North Korea has invited its inspectors back into the reclusive country.

''I think they will travel on the 14th, so hopefully they will arrive there on the 14th,'' IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei said upon arriving in South Korea, where he will meet officials and speak at a nuclear conference.

When asked if he expected North Korea to begin what experts said should be a rather quick process to shut its Soviet-era reactor, ElBaradei said: ''We will verify that they will shut it. Whether they shut it before or not, that is immaterial.'' As a part of the February deal reached among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, the energy-starved North would receive 50,000 tonnes of fuel oil supplied by the South. The first shipment is scheduled to arrive on Saturday.

The six parties are expected to reconvene discussions on ending Pyongyang' nuclear weapons programme next week, South Korea's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Reuters

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