UPDATE - North Korea possesses 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium, claims South Korea

ADDS CHINA'S REACTION

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea on Thursday claimed North Korea possessed up to 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, reiterating Seoul's call for denuclearization of the archrival.

Seoul's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed the assessment during a news conference, citing publicly released estimates by experts.

“According to estimates by experts, including the Federation of American Scientists, North Korea’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium (at 90% or above) is currently assessed to be around 2,000 kilograms," said Chung, according to the ministry.

He suggested that the resumption of US-North Korea talks can serve as a "breakthrough" in stalled efforts to denuclearize the country, Yonhap News reported.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on the matter that keeping the Korean Peninsula "peaceful and stable" and promoting the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue is "in the interest of all parties."

"We hope relevant parties will face squarely the root cause and crux of the issue, stick to the goal of political settlement, and make an effort to de-escalate the situation and uphold regional peace," Guo added.

North Korea declared earlier this month that its status as a nuclear weapons state is "permanently enshrined" in law and "irreversible," condemning the US for continuing to demand its denuclearization, state media reported.

It came after the US raised concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons program at a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting.

Pyongyang said it is willing to resume dialogue with Washington, but only if it is recognized as a permanent nuclear power.

*Writing by Aamir Latif