North Korea removes spent nuclear fuel rods
{{date|May 11, 2005}}
[[Image:North korea flag large.png|300px|right]]

[[North Korea]]'s official news agency is reporting that the country has finished removing all its spent nuclear fuel rods, over 8,000 of them, from the main reactor in the {{w|Yongbyon Reactors|Yongbyon}} nuclear plant.

The rods could be reprocessed for several months to extract weapons-grade {{w|plutonium}}.  Officials say the rods could be able to provide enough plutonium to make two nuclear bombs.  

This could possibly signal that North Korea is preparing for a nuclear arms test.  North Korea may already have enough materials to make six nuclear bombs.

North Korea has also announced plans to continue operating the Yongbyon facility, as well as to begin construction on a larger reactor.

{{haveyoursay}}
==Related news==
*{{Wikinews|title=Satellite imagery shows viewing stand for North Korean nuclear test
|date=May 8, 2005}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-05-11-voa17.cfm
|title=North Korea Moves Spent Fuel Rods from Reactor
|author=Luis Ramirez 
|pub=VOA News
|date=May 11, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=748357&page=1
|title=North Korea Advancing Nuclear Program
|author=Burt Herman
|pub=ABC News (US)
|date=May 11, 2005}}

==External Image==
[http://www.digitalglobe.com/images/nkorea/yongbyon_reactor_march2_2002_DG.jpg Satellite Image of Yongbyon Nuclear Power Plant in North Korea]

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[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:North Korea]]
[[Category:Nuclear proliferation]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Korean Peninsula]]
[[Category:Nuclear weapons]]
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North Korea's official news agency is reporting that the country has finished removing all its spent nuclear fuel rods, over 8,000 of them, from the main reactor in the Yongbyon nuclear plant.

The rods could be reprocessed for several months to extract weapons-grade .  Officials say the rods could be able to provide enough plutonium to make two nuclear bombs.  

This could possibly signal that North Korea is preparing for a nuclear arms test.  North Korea may already have enough materials to make six nuclear bombs.

North Korea has also announced plans to continue operating the Yongbyon facility, as well as to begin construction on a larger reactor.
Asia North Korea Nuclear proliferation Politics and conflicts Korean Peninsula Nuclear weapons