North Korea restarts nuclear reactor

NORTH KOREA has restarted the reactor at the heart of its suspected drive for nuclear weapons, further raising the stakes in its diplomatic showdown with the United States, US officials said.

Activating the small research reactor at Yongbyon, the communist North's latest provocative step in a crisis that erupted last year, comes as the US prepares for war with Iraq and South Korea forms a new government.

"I think this is another example of the regime of North Korea taking escalatory actions in order to gain concessions," said Sean McCormack, the White House National Security Council spokesman.