N. Korea puts new demand, may delay nuclear shutdown

By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea has said it wants to get promised shipments of oil before shutting down its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, delaying again a key obligation under a February nuclear agreement, U.S. officials said on Monday.

Administration critics of the agreement said the demand was further evidence of North Korean bad faith, but two other senior officials said they believe the agreement was on track and any delay in shuttering Yongbyon would not be prolonged.

Chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill said last week he wanted Pyongyang to shut down Yongbyon, which produces plutonium for the North's main nuclear weapons program, before holding a new round of six-country talks, expected next week.

But U.S. officials told Reuters Pyongyang had informed South Korea, which is providing the heavy fuel oil, and the International Atomic Energy Agency that it wanted at least some of the heavy fuel oil before the reactor is shut down.

"I think there's a sense that the North Koreans do want to start receiving elements of the 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil as they move toward shutting down Yongbyon," said one U.S. official, who like the others spoke on condition of anonymity.

After the February 13 announcement, a different senior official who briefed reporters said that there would be no shipment of the heavy fuel oil "until we're satisfied that the shutdown, the sealing, is occurring..."

U.S. officials say Yongbyon is continuing to operate and there are no signs of preparations for a shutdown.

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