IAEA Ready to Verify North Korean Nuclear Program if Political Agreement Reached

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is ready to resume its verification of Pyongyang’s nuclear program provided that the parties to the North Korean crisis succeed in negotiating a political agreement, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said on Monday.

"We continue to enhance our readiness to play an essential role in verifying the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] DPRK’s nuclear programme if a political agreement is reached among countries concerned," Amano’s introductory statement to the Board of Governors read.

Amano called upon Pyongyang to comply with the UN Security Council's resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA to resolve all issues which had arisen since 2009 when North Korea suspended its cooperation with the agency and requested IAEA inspectors to leave the Yongbyon nuclear facility and depart from the country.

Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was ready to denuclearize and signed a corresponding agreement with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the inter-Korean summit in the truce village of Panmunjom in late April. In May, North Korea, in a gesture of goodwill, blew up three test mines at the Punggye-ri nuclear site, as well as destroyed security checkpoints and other facilities.

READ MORE: North Korea May Still Want to Add to Its Nuclear Arsenal in Future — Analysts

The IAEA continues to monitor the situation in North Korea. However, the agency remains unable to carry out verification activities in the country, and its knowledge of the North Korean nuclear program remains limited.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States took part in denuclearization talks with North Korea between 2003 and 2009 in what was referred to as the Six-Party Talks before Pyongyang ultimately withdrew from the negotiations.

The UN Security Council has adopted a series of resolutions in an attempt to make North Korea abandon its nuclear aspirations and re-engage in a denuclearization dialogue.