The Foreign Ministry said Friday it will soon launch a task force to implement a new nuclear deal with the United States.
The allies reached an agreement on their peaceful nuclear energy cooperation earlier this week. It would allow Seoul to expand its non-military nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment and research into reprocessing.
The envisioned bureau, tentatively named the Nuclear and Nonproliferation Bureau, will be composed of three divisions with 20 members, a ministry official said. He requested anonymity, saying that consultations with the Ministry of Personnel Management and other related authorities are required.
“If established, the permanent bureau will absorb the Disarmament and Nonproliferation Division currently under the International Organizations Bureau, and the task force that negotiated the nuclear energy pact with the U.S.,” the official said. “I think the bureau will have about 20 members.”
The ministry is also proceeding with domestic procedures to put the accord in force.
It is translating the English-language text of the agreement into Korean.
“The translation work is almost done. We will be able to send the Korean version to the United States next week,” the official said.
Once Washington completes its review of the Korean version, the Seoul ministry will consult with the Ministry of Government Legislation on whether the nuclear deal needs the National Assembly’s approval, he added.
The U.S. Congress will review the so-called 123 agreement for 90 days of continuous session. In case of no objection, the deal goes into effect. (Yonhap)
