FACTBOX - North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex

Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:04am BST
 
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(Reuters) - North Korea is expected to hand China a long-delayed account of its nuclear activities on Thursday in a key step to implementing an initial atomic disarmament pact.

Pyongyang is expected to follow up the declaration with the demolition of the cooling tower at its key Yongbyon nuclear complex, a symbolic event highlighting its commitment to disable the nuclear reactor that had been the source of its bomb-grade plutonium.

Following are some facts about the Yongbyon nuclear complex.

LOCATION

- Yongbyon is about 100 km (60 miles) north of Pyongyang built in a clearing in the rugged mountain ranges of the North Pyongan province.

THE FACILITIES

- The complex consists of a five-megawatt reactor, a fuel fabrication facility and a plutonium reprocessing plant, where weapons-grade material would be extracted from spent fuel rods.

- The site also contains a 50-megawatt reactor whose construction was suspended under a 1994 nuclear deal with the United States. The reactor is nowhere near completion.

THE COOLING TOWER  Continued...

 

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