Zach Nunn: “I rise in support of the Lieberman amendment of which I am an original cosponsor. I believe it is useful to recall that…”

“I rise in support of the Lieberman amendment of which I am an original cosponsor. I believe it is useful to recall that in June 1994 North Korea decided to defuel its five megawatt research reactor, precipitating a crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Spent fuel contains essential fissile material for a nuclear arsenal and North Korea could have extracted enough plutonium to build five or six nuclear weapons. As a result of the negotiation of the October 1994 Framework Agreement, North Korea agreed, among other things, to freeze and eventually dismantle its graphite moderated nuclear reactors and related facilities and to safely store and ultimately ship out of its territory the spent fuel from its five megawatt nuclear research reactor. The United States agreed to lead an international consortium to oversee the finance and construction of two 100-megawatt light water reactors and to provide 500,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil annually until completion of the first light water reactor. I am advised that North Korea has maintained the freeze on its nuclear facilities, that the IAEA has maintained a continuous presence in North Korea to verify and monitor the freeze, the canning of the more than 8,000 spent fuel rods is proceeding at a steady pace and North Korea has concluded a number of agreements with KEDO to facilitate the furnishing of the light water reactors, including a Protocol on Privileges and Immunities for KEDO personnel.”