N Korea makes progress on nuclear reactor

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

North Korea has made progress in recent months on a home-built reactor that experts fear could be used to bolster the communist state's nuclear weapons program, satellite images show.

The images, released this week by a private Washington-based think-tank, were taken on February 3, nearly a month before February's surprise nuclear deal between North Korea and the United States.

The images of the Yongbyon nuclear site showed that the new light-water reactor's outside building appeared to be complete. Earlier pictures taken in September showed that it was still under construction.

However, the dome remained on the ground, indicating that the reactor was not yet operational.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/n-korea-makes-progress-on-nuclear-reactor-20120307-1uj10.html#ixzz1oOPSJcDM