BEIJING - North Korea agreed Tuesday after arduous talks to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its atomic weapons program, just four months after the communist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear bomb.
The deal marks the first concrete plan for disarmament in more than three years of six-nation negotiations. The plan also could potentially herald a new era of cooperation in the region with the North's longtime foes — the United States and Japan — also agreeing to discuss normalizing relations.
The country has sidestepped previous agreements, allegedly running a uranium-based weapons program even as it froze a plutonium-based one — sparking the latest nuclear crisis in late 2002. There are believed to be countless mountainside tunnels in which to hide projects.
Under the deal, the North would receive initial aid equal to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil for shutting down and sealing its main nuclear reactor and related facilities at Yongbyon, north of the capital, within 60 days, to be confirmed by international inspectors. For irreversibly disabling the reactor and declaring all nuclear programs, the North will eventually receive another 950,000 tons in aid. The total is worth $250 million. (this is ridiculous! we dont have enough for our country and now we are going to give them 50k tons of oil??)
One million tons of oil would be equivalent to more than two-thirds of North Korea's entire oil consumption in 2004, according figures in the CIA Factbook.
But Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in Tokyo that his country would not contribute aid to the North until the issue of the abductions of its citizens by North Korea is resolved. North Korea has admitted to abducting Japanese citizens, but not to Japan's satisfaction. (The abductions are pretty bad. I really doubt they will confess to all of them.)
I am such a cell phone adict. I know it is a disease!!! I posted pictures of my last two cell phone purchases. I think I like the lastest one the best which was the white chocolate phone by LG. However, I have been learning that more and more people are using their phones to watch tv and text. In Japan people are watching youtube videos on their cell phones.
My friend has a cousin that stayed here in the states with her and her family for 2 months. His cell phone had tv, text messaging and other features. He said that they do not use their cell phones to make phone calls. I have never seen anyone that can text with one hand as fast as he can!!! I was like DAY-YUM!!! From what I understand they have shortened japanese words like we have lol,rotf and lmao. It is not abreviated like that but it serves the same purpose.
So far Just Japan and Korea have the tv broadcasting on cell phones. They are begining to open this market in Indoesia this week. So Indonesia, prepare yourself for the next wave of the future. I wonder if it will hit the states and if so, how soon?
