US, South Korea May Cut Off Aid to North Korea SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (Associated Press) -

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports the United States and South Korea plan to cut off energy aid to North Korea if it speeds up its efforts to restore its partially disabled nuclear reactor.

North Korea said last week it is making "thorough preparations" to restart it.

Seoul's Number 2 nuclear envoy tells The Associated Press the energy aid is linked to the reactor's disablement. But he refuses to confirm that the energy aid would be suspended if North Korea accelerates the facility's restoration.

On Friday, he assured North Korea that it would receive all the energy aid it has been promised.

North Korea pledged to disable its nuclear program as a step toward its eventual dismantlement in return for diplomatic concessions and energy aid under a 2007 disarmament accord with South Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.
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