North Korea destroys nuclear reactor tower

YONGBYON, North Korea (AP) -

North Korea destroyed the most visible symbol of its nuclear weapons program Friday in a sign of its commitment to stop making plutonium for atomic bombs.

The demolition of the 60-foot-tall cooling tower at its main reactor complex is a response to U.S. concessions after the North delivered a declaration Thursday of its nuclear programs under an agreement at international arms talks.

A single blast at the base of the cylindrical structure sent the tower collapsing into a cloud of white and gray smoke as international journalists and diplomats looked on, according to video footage filmed by broadcaster APTN at the site. Those at the event later pored over the shattered pieces of the tower.

“This is a very important step in the disablement process and I think it puts us in a good position to move into the next phase,” said Sung Kim, the U.S. State Department’s top expert on the Koreas who attended the demolition. Kim shook hands with North Korean officials following the tower’s tumble to the ground…

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