Though Gov. Bill Richardson’s trip to North Korea is about securing the remains of U.S. servicemen, you had to know the impending deadline for the nation to shut down its nuclear reactor would come up.
It did.
North Korea’s top nuclear negotiator told the delegation today that it would let U.N. inspectors into the country as soon as $25 million in frozen funds is released, the Associated Press is reporting.
Richardson is co-leading the official delegation of the Bush Administration.
The nation agreed on Feb. 13 to dismantle its nuclear program, but has done little to meet the 60-day deadline to begin the process. The money in dispute is in a Chinese bank and was frozen in 2005 after the United States accused the bank of helping North Korea launder money and handle counterfeit U.S. money, the news service reported.
Meanwhile, Richardson told the news service he was hoping to visit the nation’s nuclear reactor while in North Korea. Last week, before leaving the United States, Richardson said the trip would be only about securing the remains.
The nation pledged today to release the remains of six U.S. servicemen to the delegation. Richardson called it a “noble humanitarian gesture,” the news service reported.
But the impending deadline on the nuclear weapons program overshadowed the visit. Richardson, who is making his sixth visit to the nation, has a long relationship with North Korea and has had success in the past in negotiations.
The delegation is scheduled to remain in North Korea until Wednesday, when it will carry the soldier’s remains to South Korea. Richardson is scheduled to return to New Mexico on Friday.
Though Gov. Bill Richardson’s trip to