By IANS,
Pyongyang : North Korea Wednesday said it was building a nuclear reactor and its production of low enriched uranium was underway.
North Korea said that its nuclear activities related to the construction of an experimental light water reactor (LWR) and the production of low enriched uranium are underway, the official news agency KCNA reported.
But the nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, it said, citing a statement by a foreign ministry spokesman.
“The construction of experimental LWR and the low enriched uranium for the provision of raw materials are progressing apace in reliance on solid foundation of the self-supporting national economy and the country’s latest science and technologies making leaping progress,” the statement said.
It reiterated that the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the legitimate right of a sovereign state recognized by international law. It also serves as the only way for solving the acute electricity problem in North Korea as it has vast nuclear energy resources.
North Korea “made up its mind to build its own light water reactor according to its economic development strategy given that there was no prospect for getting LWRs whose delivery was promised from outside”, it said.