N. Korea Halts Pullout From Nuclear Treaty

North Korea, widely suspected of harboring hopes of transforming itself into a nuclear nation, bowed to American pressure Friday and agreed to suspend its withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Official withdrawal from the 153-nation treaty had been due to take effect today. But, in a joint statement with the United States, North Korea said it had “decided unilaterally to suspend as long as it considers necessary the effectuation of its withdrawal from the treaty.”

After meeting with U.S. delegates in a series of sessions in New York since June 2, the North Koreans, led by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Sok Ju, said that the two sides had “agreed to continue dialogue on an equal and unprejudiced basis.”

Some of this wording could be interpreted to mean that the North Koreans were only delaying their withdrawal pending further talks with the United States. But President Clinton described the agreement as “a first but vital step toward ensuring North Korean participation in a strong international non-proliferation regime, a goal that will benefit all nations.”

In a statement issued by the White House, Clinton added, “Preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons is one of the highest priorities of my Administration, and we will continue to press the North Koreans strongly to comply fully with international standards and to move toward the goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.”

In New York, Vice Minister Kang described the joint statement as “historic” and a “turning point,” and added, “So far, so good.”

The whole tenor of the statement, moreover, implied that fears of a nuclear arms race in Asia could abate, at least for now.

The North Koreans, giving the required three-months notice, announced March 12 that they would withdraw, the first country to do so since the treaty was promulgated in 1970. The Pyongyang government’s defiance came after inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, carrying out the terms of the treaty, tried and failed to scrutinize a suspected reactor and reprocessing plant in North Korea.

This refusal to permit inspections, combined with an assessment from CIA Director R. James Woolsey that North Korea might have produced enough plutonium for at least one nuclear bomb, set off speculation that the country, one of the last Marxist regimes in the world, intends to create a nuclear arsenal.

After the meetings at the American Mission, across the street from U.N. headquarters, both Kang and Robert L. Gallucci, the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs who led the American delegation, said their discussions had still not solved the inspections problem.

The North Korean vice minister said the possibility of future inspections would depend on the impartiality of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which polices the treaty, and on the results of the continuing talks between the two countries. Kang said the IAEA needs to “totally and fully restore its position of impartiality.”

But Gallucci, the former deputy chairman of the U.N. Commission charged with eliminating Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, told reporters that he saw no reason to question the impartiality of the Vienna-based IAEA. Neither a date nor a site was announced for future meetings.

Although Kang insisted that there had been no “horse-trading” at the meetings, the joint statement indicated that the United States had pledged that it would not attack North Korea with nuclear weapons. Distrust of American support of South Korea has long been one of the justifications for a powerful defense by North Korea.

In the joint statement, the United States and North agreed to three principles:

* “Assurances against the threat and use of force, including nuclear weapons.”

* “Peace and security in a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, including impartial application of full-scope safeguards, mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.”

* “Support for the peaceful reunification of Korea.”

The U.N. Security Council had demanded, in a resolution passed a month ago, that North Korea suspend its withdrawal and allow the inspections. The United States had been drumming up support for a resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea if it did withdraw from the treaty. Although there was some speculation that China might veto a sanctions resolution, the threat put added pressure on North Korea to reconsider.