SEOUL, October 3 (Itar-Tass) - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has re-energized its outdated nuclear reactor, the dismantling of which was started in 2007, the newspaper Chosun ilbo reported on Thursday.

Upon studying the latest pictures transmitted by a space satellite, specialists of the US-Korea Institute (USKI) at the John Hopkins University stated with confidence that the plutonium reactor at the Yongbyon research center discharges hot effluents into a nearby river via a new drainage pipe.

In September, USKI experts already reported that signs were observed that the Yongbyon reactor was in operation.

The new warning has been issued by the USKI specialists after US representaitves had met in London with DPRK officials to discuss the problem concerning a resumption of the six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear programme.

In 2007, the DPRK shut down the Yongbyon reactor in view of the agreements among the participants in the six-country talks about giving economic aid to the North in exchange for curtailment of its nuclear programmes.