Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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July 15, 2007

UN Inspectors Ready to Verify Shutdown of North Korea's Reactor
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1826DAC:A6F02AD83191E160AF70820DA1532EEC9574F7DCC14957C0 Inspectors now in
Pyongyang to monitor process





Adel Tolba, right, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency's
(IAEA) inspection team, loads equipment onto a truck upon arrival in
North KoreaU.N. inspectors are set to begin verifying North Korea's
announcement that it has shut down its main nuclear reactor.

The U.S. chief nuclear envoy, Christopher Hill, told reporters in
Tokyo that the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors are ready
to begin their work Sunday.

The inspectors arrived in Pyongyang Saturday, as North Korea informed
the United States it had shut down its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.

South Korea Sunday welcomed the North's announcement. The Foreign
Ministry in Seoul said it is an encouraging step in the nuclear
disarmament process.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says Washington hopes
for rapid progress in implementing the next phase of the six-nation
agreement on ending North Korea's nuclear program.

North and South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia are to
discuss that next phase Wednesday in Beijing.

In February, North Korea agreed to declare all its nuclear programs
and disable its nuclear facilities in exchange for fuel aid and
political concessions.

North Korea's long-awaited action on the Yongbyon facility follows the
arrival Saturday of the first shipment of fuel from South Korea.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.