N. Korea told to readmit nuke inspectors

VIENNA — The head of the U.N.’s atomic watchdog has called on North Korea to allow inspectors back in to monitor its nuclear program.

Speaking Thursday at a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Director-General Yukiya Amano noted that Pyongyang had in September talked about denuclearization measures including the “permanent dismantlement of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon” — a reactor where it produces plutonium.

Amano said there has been activity observed at Yongbyon, but “without access the agency cannot confirm the nature and purpose of these activities.”

At a news conference later Thursday, he said he couldn’t elaborate on when exactly the activity was observed.

Nuclear inspectors were expelled from North Korea in 2009 but Amano said the agency continues to prepare for their possible readmittance.

“The agency continues to enhance its readiness to play an essential role in verifying [North Korea’s] nuclear program if a political agreement is reached among countries concerned,” he said. “I again call upon [North Korea] to comply fully with its obligations under relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and of the [International Atomic Energy Agency] board, to cooperate promptly with the agency and to resolve all outstanding issues.”

On the other hand, Amano told board members that Iran continues to abide by the deal reached in 2015 with major world powers that aimed at preventing Tehran from building atomic weapons in exchange for economic incentives.

He reiterated the agency’s findings in a report distributed to member states earlier this month that “Iran is implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.”

The issue has grown more complicated since the U.S. withdrew unilaterally in May from the deal and then reimposed sanctions.

Iran’s economy has been struggling ever since and its currency has plummeted in value.

The other signatories to the deal — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — are continuing to try to make it work.

Amano stressed that “it is essential that Iran continues to fully implement” its commitments.

In its full report, the nuclear agency said its inspectors continue to have access to all sites in Iran that it needs to visit and that inspectors confirmed Iran has kept within limits of heavy water and low-enriched uranium stockpiles.

“The agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its safeguards agreement,” Amano said. “Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue.”

Meanwhile, the United States and South Korea will scale back a major military exercise next spring to avoid setting back diplomacy over North Korea’s nuclear weapons, Defense Secretary James Mattis said Wednesday.

Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon that the exercise, known as Foal Eagle and conducted each spring in South Korea to keep ground, air, naval and special operations forces prepared for combat, will be “reduced in scope.”

“Foal Eagle is being reorganized a bit to keep it at a level that will not be harmful to diplomacy,” he said.

North Korea has vigorously protested these and other large-scale annual military exercises, calling them provocations and a dress rehearsal for an invasion.

The U.S. and South Korea insist the maneuvers are purely defensive.

In October the U.S. and South Korea canceled a major exercise, Vigilant Ace, that was to be conducted in December, and after President Donald Trump’s June summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the U.S. canceled a major summertime exercise, Ulchi Freedom Guardian, which Trump derided as wasteful and provocative.

Mattis did not provide details about how the spring exercise will be reorganized and toned down, but the decision is an extension of efforts by Washington and Seoul to encourage progress in stalled negotiations over the North’s nuclear program.