IAEA chief cautious over DPRK nuke disarmament

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said yesterday that moving to inspect and close facilities behind the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear weapons program would be complex as the two sides seek to rebuild severed ties.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Mohamed ElBaradei was in Beijing en route to Pyongyang, where he is to negotiate the return of agency inspectors as part of a February 13 accord.

That pact aims to wind down the DPRK's nuclear weapons ambitions in exchange for aid and security assurances.