Reclusive North Korea Takes Steps to Resolve Nuclear Dispute

North Korea is taking steps to carry out promises itvisit San Francisco next Thursday for a lecture at
made earlier this month in a landmark nuclearStanford University.
agreement.After the lecture, reports say Kim will head to New
On Friday, Pyongyang invited the United Nations topYork for a meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Assistant
atomic energy chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, to visitSecretary of State Christopher Hill.
Pyongyang for the first time since the watchdogNeither North Korean nor U.S. officials have confirmed
body's inspectors were kicked out of the countrythe report.
more than four years ago.Earlier this month, North Korea agreed to close its main
ElBaradei is likely travel to Pyongyang in March wherenuclear facility and allow atomic energy inspectors in
he will discuss the shutdown of its nuclear facilities andthe country within 60 days in exchange for energy aid.
the possible re-establishment of relations betweenNorth Korea expelled IAEA weapons inspectors in late
North Korea and the International Atomic EnergyDecember 2002, and officially withdrew from the
Agency.Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in January 2003.
Saturday, South Korean newspapers report that NorthSome information for this report was provided by AP
Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye Kwan willand Reuters.