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
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