North Korea sends invite to UN nuclear watchdog
Inspectors from the United Nations nuclear watchdog,the International Atomic Energy Agency, were expelled from North Korea for the second time three years ago.
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says it has been invited to visit North Korea.
The IAEA's inspectors were expelled from the country three years ago, the BBC reports, but the agency now says has received a letter from Pyongyang agreeing to allow its agents back in.
It added that the details were still being discussed.
Reuters says that the move suggests North Korea is serious about a deal discussed with the United States last month, whereby it would cease it nuclear activities in return for 240,000 tons of food aid.
The deal was thrown into doubt on Friday, when Pyongyang announced it would launch a long range missile rocket carrying a satellite to mark the centenary of founder Kim Il-sung’s birth in April.
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Reuters says the announcement was made on the same day that the IAEA received the invitations.
“We will discuss with the DPRK (North Korea) and other parties concerned for the details of the visit,” the IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor is quoted as saying in a statement, adding: “Nothing has been decided yet.”
Meanwhile, senior North Korean nuclear negotiator Ri Yong Ho has reiterated his government's position on the launch after holding talks with his counterpart in Beijing, Associated Press reports.
Ri said the launch of the satellite is separate from the deal with the United States, adding: "The launching of the satellite is part to our right to develop space programs."
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