Russia Regrets North Korea's Violation of Agreement on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

Russian diplomats have expressed their regret at North Korea's decision to remove seals and other monitoring equipment installed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from nuclear units. This announcement was made on Monday, December 23, by the press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to the ministry, Russia is hoping that North Korea will uphold the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and carry out its obligations as laid down in the agreement with the IAEA.

The ministry believes that North Korea's cooperation with the IAEA is of the utmost importance and is sure that the agency should continue its work with North Korea on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

North Korea removed IAEA seals from a nuclear reactor depository in Yongbyon, which had previously contained about eight thousand fuel slugs, containing plutonium. Not only were the seals removed but IAEA surveillance cameras were also covered with bags. The same thing was done previously on the nuclear testing reactor in Yongbyon, which has a reactor capability of 5 thousand kilowatts.