North Korea says nuke facility closed

YONGBYON, North Korea, July 14 (UPI) -- North Korea said it had shut down its Yongbyon nuclear facilities, a U.S. diplomatic spokesman said Saturday, and independent verification was expected soon.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the 10-member inspection team from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency had arrived in Pyongyang, about 56 miles south of the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, Xinhua reported. The team was to verify the shutdown and sealing of the facilities.

"We welcome this development and look forward to the verification and monitoring of this shutdown by the International Atomic Energy Agency team that has arrived in (North Korea)," McCormack said in a statement.

McCormack said the United States, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia expect more progress under the agreement they reached in February, when they meet again Wednesday, the official Chinese news agency reported.

The shutdown comes in exchange for 50,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil. The first shipment of 6,200 metric tons of the oil arrived Saturday from Seoul in the North Korean port of Sonbong, RIA Novosti reported.

North Korea tested a nuclear device last year and repeatedly has said it needs atomic weapons to defend itself from the United States.