N Korea 'closer to nuclear goal' | BBC

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 9 July, 2003, 11:59 GMT 12:59 UK

N Korea 'closer to nuclear goal'

North Korea has reprocessed "a small number" of its spent nuclear fuel rods, South Korea's intelligence agency said on Wednesday.

The North is thought to have stored 8,000 spent fuel rods
North Korea has reprocessed "a small number" of its spent nuclear fuel rods, South Korea's intelligence agency said on Wednesday.
The reclusive communist state has also carried out about 70 tests on explosive devices linked to its nuclear programme, the agency added.

North Korea has claimed before to have begun reprocessing its 8,000 spent rods - a move which could allow it to extract enough weapons-grade plutonium to develop a handful of nuclear weapons within months of starting the reprocessing operation.

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