(VOVWORLD) -A UN watchdog report that North Korea appears to have restarted a nuclear reactor reflects an urgent need for dialogue and the United States is seeking to address the issue with Pyongyang, a senior administration official said on Monday.
North Korea appears to have resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium, a key material used to make nuclear weapons, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
A US official said the US continues to seek dialogue with Pyongyang, so it can address this reported activity and the full range of issues related to denuclearization.
Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalled since the collapse of a meeting between Kim Jong Un and former President Donald Trump in 2019.
After US President Joe Biden took office, the two sides continued to exchange harsh comments, dragging back the prospect of negotiations for months.