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Seoul, Washington, Tokyo to sign intelligence pact on Pyongyang’s nuclear programs

North Korea's activity in the sphere of nuclear energy raises concernes, the country carried out three underground nuclear tests in the period from 2006 to February 2013

Pyongyang, North Korea AP Photo/Wong Maye-E

Pyongyang, North Korea

© AP Photo/Wong Maye-E

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North Korea speeds up nuclear program, say American experts

SEOUL, December 26. /TASS/. South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to sign on December 29 a pact on the exchange of intelligence data on North Korea’s missile nuclear programs, an official of the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Friday. No additional procedures are required for the document’s approval as it will be concluded between the ministries, not states.

“Vice defense ministers of the three nations will sign the trilateral deal on Monday to share their intelligence on North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats,” Seoul’s defense official said, requesting anonymity, Yonhap news agency reported.

No separate ceremony will take place, with the vice ministers of each country to sign the arrangement, which will make it valid, he said, adding that no additional domestic process for approval is necessary as the subjects of concluding the envisioned pact will not be the three nations but their defense ministries.

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“The arrangement does not mean sharing military secrets in a broad fashion,” said the official. “Rather than directly sharing the sensitive information with Japan, we will give our intelligence first to the US and the tips will then be shared with Japan upon our approval, and vice versa,” he said.

North Korea carried out three underground nuclear tests in the period from 2006 to February 2013. In addition, Pyongyang has launched a total of 111 missiles this year.

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North Korea Japan United States South Korea

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