European Union joins North Korean nuclear security body The EU, through the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), formally joined the Korean Peninsular Energy Development Organization (KEDO) on 19 September 1997. KEDO is a body designed to increase nuclear safety and reduce the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation in North... The EU, through the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), formally joined the Korean Peninsular Energy Development Organization (KEDO) on 19 September 1997. KEDO is a body designed to increase nuclear safety and reduce the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation in North Korea. KEDO was established in March 1995 by South Korea, the USA and Japan. It aims to provide two new and proliferation-safe light water reactors in North Korea, allowing older, less safe reactors to be decommissioned. In the interim, KEDO funds are also to be used to provide supplies of oil as an alternative, safer fuel. In this way, KEDO will ensure that North Korea maintains adequate, safe energy supplies and minimize the possibility of nuclear fuel being used for weapons. The EU has supported KEDO since its establishment, and approved, in principle, membership in December 1995. The formal adhesion follows the negotiation of an accession agreement by the Commission and KEDO, which was initialled in May 1997, and its ratification by the EU and the original members of KEDO. Under the agreement, the EU will contribute around ECU 75 million over five years. This is broadly comparable to the contribution from the USA to KEDO. The timing of the EU's adhesion falls just after the ground breaking ceremony at the first of the two light water reactors to be financed by KEDO, in Kumho, South Hamgyong province, on the east coast of North Korea. Countries North Korea
