of north korea destroys cooling tower at nuclear plant

North Korea destroys cooling tower at nuclear plant


The demolition on Friday of the cooling tower at the reactor complex in Yongbyon, North Korea.

In a gesture demonstrating its commitment to halt its nuclear weapons program, North Korea blew up the most prominent symbol of its plutonium production Friday.

The 60 foot, or 18meter, cooling tower at North Korea's main nuclear power plant collapsed in a heap of shattered concrete and twisted steel, filmed by international and regional television broadcasters invited to witness the event.

The destruction of the tower, the most visible element of the nuclear complex at Yongbyon, about 100 kilometers, or 60 miles north of Pyongyang, bore witness to the incremental progress that has been made in U.S.-led multilateral efforts to end North Korea's nuclear weapons programs.