Nations in six-party talks welcome DPRK cooling tower demolition

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Some nations, involved in the six-party talks aimed at Korean Peninsula denuclearization, Friday welcomed the demolition of the cooling tower at the nuclear reactor in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), but warned there is still more to be done.

The DPRK destroyed the cooling tower at its Yongbyon nuclear complex Friday afternoon.

The United States said the DPRK has taken "a good step" by blowing up the cooling tower, while saying there is much more to be done.

"There is still much to be done, but it's a good step when the North Koreans comply with their obligations," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

South Korea's presidential office said the demolition of the nuclear cooling tower is a first step toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

"North Korea's destruction of its nuclear reactor cooling tower is a politically symbolic event indicative of its determination to disable its nuclear weapons program," said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.

He added that the DPRK still has a long way to go to completely denuclearize.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters he regarded the destruction of the cooling tower as "the first step toward denuclearization."

But he added, "It is important that we carry out thorough verifications. We will deal with this seriously."

Russia also welcomed the demolition. The Russian Foreign Ministry said this in a statement.

"We welcome this step, and consider it one of the first real measures aimed at achieving the ultimate goal -- to free the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons," the ministry said.

The explosion of the cooling tower was "very successful," said Li Yong Ho, director of the DPRK General Department of Atomic Energy.

It will push forward the denuclearization and contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula, he added.