Ready to inspect N.Korea's nuclear programme: IAEA

The UN nuclear agency has said it is ready to inspect the nuclear programme of North Korea, if it is authorised to play an essential role in the issue after a political deal is reached.

Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told reporters on Monday that his team is ready to carry out the nuclear inspection in North Korea, but the inspection should be under a political agreement among states concerned, Xinhua reported.

North Korea dismantled the Punggye Ri nuclear test site last month under coverage of foreign journalists.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet on June 12 in Singapore.

If a possible political agreement could be reached, IAEA might be authorised to get access to North Korea nuclear site to carry out verification task. Amano said his team could travel to North Korea within weeks after IAEA is authorized to play the role.

North Korea claimed it successfully carried out four nuclear weapon tests in the past 10 years or so.

The IAEA currently has no nuclear inspector in North Korea which withdrew its membership of the IAEA in 1994. Therefore, the agency could only get the information of North Korea's nuclear plan from satellites or by other means.

--IANS

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