North Korea readmits IAEA inspectors to nuclear facilities

Vienna, Oct 13 (DPA) North Korea has allowed inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back into its nuclear facilities after banning them from doing their work last week, a Western diplomat told DPA Monday.

The development came after the US State Department announced Saturday that North Korea had agreed to allow rigorous inspections of all its nuclear activities, in turn with Washington responding by removing the Stalinist state from a terrorism blacklist.

Earlier this month, Pyongyang had stopped IAEA inspectors from monitoring the freeze of its plutonium reprocessing facility. Last Thursday it extended the ban to all facilities in its nuclear complex in Yongbyon, including a reactor.

'Inspectors are back in Yongbyon and back in the reprocessing facility,' the diplomat said.

IAEA officials were not available for comment, but a source close to the Vienna-based agency said member states would be informed of new developments.