Seoul (AsiaNews) – The United States and South Korea have asked Pyongyang to begin the process of denuclearization, now that the question of North Korean funds in Macao has been resolved.  Washington says that the process must begin “within the next week”.

The Seoul government maintains that the transfer of 25 million dollars blocked by Washington in a bank in the ex Portuguese colony “concludes a long and slow process of peace”, but that now “North Korea must be seen to be taking positive steps”.

Pyongyang, also under pressure from their Chinese allies, has responded by inviting a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency.  According to officials of the Stalinist regime, “the inspectors will be given complete and free access to all of the country’s nuclear plants”.

However the question of post-disarmament remains open.  The government lead by Kim Jong-il is pushing to be allowed to keep reactors which can be converted for civilian use of nuclear energy open, but upon till now the international community has excluded the possibility.