North Korea signals atomic shut down

BY

SEOUL, South Korea - Intoldligence officials reported increased activity
Tuesday around North Korea's main nuclear reactor, indicating the
country may be preparing to uphold its agreement to shut down the
plant.

North Korea missed last Saturday's deadline for shuttering the reactor because of a dispute over $25 million in North Korean deposits frozen in a bank blacklisted by Washington. The funds were allegedly linked to
money laundering and counterfeiting.

The owner of the bank in the Chinese territory of , Stanley Au, insisted the money had been unblocked. He noted however that North Korea had made no withdrawals from his Banco Delta Asia "because they cannot transfer the money out."

"There are no banks accepting the so-called black money," Au told
The Associated Press. "The only thing they can do at the moment is
to take the money in bank notes out of the bank."

North Korea promised the U.S. and four other nations in February to
dismantle its nuclear programs in return for energy aid and political concessions.