Normalverkehr

North Korea is to blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Friday. The destruction of the plant’s cooling tower is part of an agreement with the United States aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country.
North Korea may blow up the cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear plant in front of some of the world’s media on Friday. Long-stalled six-party talks began to make progress again last week.

Pyongyang agreed in 2007 to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for aid. It has since closed its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, but a dispute arose as to whether the North had by the end of 2007 provided a full account of its nuclear activities as the agreement had dictated. 
 

North Korea has already handed over about 18,000 documents on its nuclear past to the U.S., which the U.S. says are critical to verify North Korea’s claims.

The US is to take the first steps towards removing North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, the unconfirmed report says.