Nuclear Facilities

[Anchor Lead]

The list of 40 nuclear facilities in North Korea intelligence authorities in South Korea and the US have determined that need to be dismantled, is likely to affect future negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington in the aftermath of the no-deal Hanoi summit.

[Pkg]

It's been a month since the North Korea-US summit in Vietnam ended without an an agreement. As momentum is sought to continue negotiations, South Korea and the US need to be on the same page when it comes to their understanding of nuclear facilities existing in North Korea. But the problem is the differing views held by Pyongyang and Washington. As indicated by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's statement that came right after the Hanoi summit, Pyongyang puts a high price on giving up its Yongbyon nuclear facility and calls for a step-by-step denuclearization.

[Soundbite] Choe Son-hui(N. Korean Vice Foreign Minister) : "We offered to permanently dismantle the whole Yongbyon complex that can be verified by U.S. experts."

Meanwhile President Donald Trump wants more from North Korea, a so-called "plus alpha," and demands a "big deal" rather than a step by step approach in phases. It's unknown what it is or which nuclear facility it is that the US has additionally asked from the North, but most likely would be one of the 40 locations on the key nuclear facilities list shared by South Korean and US intelligence. Washington could even propose a "package deal" exchanging the dismantlement of the 40 sites in return for a complete lifting of sanctions.

[Soundbite] Jo Seong-ryeol(Former researcher, Institute for Nat'l Security Strategy) : "Each side has expressed its stance. If they can agree on the target sites of denuclearization, future talks can lead to major accomplishments."

Experts say that coordinating the lingering differences between North Korea and the US will determine the success or failure of future denuclearization negotiations.