United Nations nuclear inspectors, after years of being banned from North Korea, have arrived in the North to verify the shutdown of Pyongyang's main nuclear facility. The shutdown appears to be imminent. The inspectors' visit coincides with the arrival in the North of a preliminary shipment of fuel oil from South Korea, and comes just days before six-nation negotiations on Pyongyang's overall nuclear programs are due to resume.

Pyongyang received Saturday the first 6,200 metric tons of fuel oil from Seoul as part of an international denuclearization deal, the Xinhua news agency said referring to a source in the South Korean Unification Ministry.

The U.S. representative at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament said Friday he hoped the country would disable its Yongbyon nuclear reactor by the end of 2007.

Washington's chief envoy on the North Korea nuclear talks said today that the United States is open to discussion with North Korea on peace and security issues after Pyongyang urged military talks between the two countries.

The head of the United Nations nuclear agency says the shutdown of North Korea's main reactor, which will be monitored by inspectors traveling to the country Saturday, should go "smoothly." As Joseph Popiolkowski reports from Hong Kong, the declaration comes as China announces a new round of talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs will begin next week.

The head of the United Nations nuclear agency says the shutdown of North Korea's main reactor, which will be monitored by inspectors traveling to the country Saturday, should go "smoothly." As Joseph Popiolkowski reports from Hong Kong, the declaration comes as China announces a new round of talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs will begin next week.

Talks to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue are expected to resume later this month as the process of dismantling the country's nuclear facilities moves a step further. The United Nations nuclear watchdog has approved sending experts to North Korea to monitor the shutdown.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has approved sending a special mission to monitor the shutdown of North Korea's main nuclear facility.

U.N. nuclear monitors said Friday they were able to see all that they wanted on their visit to the plutonium-producing reactor that North Korea has pledged to shut down in return for aid.

European Union officials have emerged from a diplomatic visit to North Korea with an upbeat assessment of Pyongyang's commitment to start dismantling its nuclear weapons. United Nations nuclear inspectors arrived in the North this week and may soon be given a first-hand look at the nuclear reactor they hope will be shut down within weeks.

North Korea says it will start implementing a nuclear disarmament deal, now that a months-long dispute over funds frozen at a Macau bank has been resolved.

The North Korean government has issued a positive assessment of a senior U.S. envoy's visit to the capital, Pyongyang. United Nations nuclear inspectors are expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday to plan for the imminent shutdown of the North's main nuclear reactor, a crucial first step toward the goal of Pyongyang' full nuclear disarmament.