Call for UN focus on North Korea

Call for UN focus on North Korea PLUTONIUM IN SIX MONTHS

ElBaradei warned that North Korea could be producing significant amounts of weapons-grade plutonium within six months if reports it had restarted a fuel reprocessing plant were true.

ElBaradei had not seen a New York Times story citing U.S. intelligence about the North Korean nuclear plants but said it was known that Pyongyang intended to relaunch its nuclear facility at Yongbyon.

"Within six months they could produce quite significant amounts of material, plutonium," he said, when asked about the reprocessing plant's capabilities.

"Obviously if they restart their reprocessing plant it's a very serious issue and a matter of grave concern for us all."

It takes nine kg (20 lb) of plutonium to make a nuclear bomb.