美韓研究所：朝鮮核反應堆可能恢復運作

A Washington-based research group says North Korea has likely restarted a plutonium reactor, possibly making good on a pledge to expand its nuclear weapons program.

The U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University based its conclusion on recent satellite photos that appear to show white steam emerging from a building near the reactor at the North's main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

The reactor was shut down in 2007 under an aid-for-disarmament deal. But in April, Pyongyang warned it would restart all operations at Yongbyon to boost its nuclear force in both "quantity and quality."

The institute's researchers say the color and the volume of the white steam seen emerging from the building in the August 31 commercial satellite photos suggest the reactor has been put back into operation.

South Korean officials say they are still working to find out if the reactor has been restarted.華盛頓的一個研究機構說，朝鮮很可能重新啓動了一座鈈反應堆，或許平壤正在履行自己的誓言，擴大其核武器項目。

約翰•霍普金斯大學的美韓研究所根據最近的衛星圖片做出了上述結論。衛星圖片顯示，朝鮮主要的寧邊核設施反應堆附近的一座建築裏冒出白色氣體。

按照一項以援助換去核化協議，這座反應堆於2007年關閉。但平壤今年4月警告說，將全面恢復寧邊核設施的運作，以便從“數量和質量”兩方面增強其核能力。

美韓研究所的報告說，從8月31日拍攝到的商業衛星圖片來看，那座建築中冒出氣體的量及顏色顯示反應堆正在運作。

韓國官員說，他們仍在努力尋找這座反應堆是否啓動的證據。