North Korea has put on hold the visit of monitors of the international nuclear watchdog to Pyongyang on grounds that the controversial funds of the North has yet to be deposited in its bank account, press reports said Thursday.
"As of now, the frozen funds had not reached our bank account. Nobody knows why the remittance is delayed," the Reuters quoted Hyon Yong-man, counsellor at Pyongyang's embassy in Vienna, as saying. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is headquartered in Vienna.
"So our side has informed the IAEA that we have no objection to them preparing the visit as a plan, but we are not ready to give our official confirmation for the visit as scheduled by the agency," he was quoted as telling reporters.
The remark is in sharp contrast with the earlier development that U.S. top nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill flew into Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, on a military plane direct from the South.
Asked whether the visit on hold for now, he said, "Yes," the Reuters said.
A spokesman for the Vienna-based U.N. watchdog said: "We are still waiting for official confirmation from the DPRK (North Korean) embassy regarding the date of the visit."
In another development, Russian Vice Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak said Thursday that the $25 million frozen at a Macau bank has been transferred to a Russian bank.
All the North Korean funds are just moving to the Russian territory and the the problem would be solved as it depends on bank clerks who are to switch a few buttons, the Reuters quoted Kislyak as saying.
Russian state-run news agency Itar-Tass said that the North Korean funds will be transferred to a Russian bank completely by Friday.
Meanwhile, four officials of the IAEA arrived in Seoul Thursday to discuss with South Korean negotiators in charge of North Korea's nuclear problem at the six-party talks prior to their planned visit to Pyongyang next week
They will consult with the deputy chief of South Korea’s delegation to the six-party talks on North Korea’s denuclearization on Pyongyang’s denuclearization process at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Friday, said a ministry official who requested anonymity.
Kaluba Chitumbo, head of the IAEA's safeguards operations division for the Asia-Pacific region, has led the team.
Two of the four are scheduled to visit North Korea via Beijing where they visit Saturday, the official said.