KOREA RENEWS CONTRIBUTION TO HELP REPLACE RUSSIAN

UNCLAS SEOUL 004326 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/CTR POTT AND MSTAFFORD STATE ALSO FOR EAP/K DOE FOR NNSA -- DEDIK, TURNER, BURTT, MCCOY, AND SHORTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM ENRG KNNP KS RS SUBJECT: KOREA RENEWS CONTRIBUTION TO HELP REPLACE RUSSIAN PLUTONIUM PLANT REF: A. 05 SEOUL 5286 ¶B. STATE 166965 ¶1. In December 2005, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy to enable it to contribute to the Elimination of Weapons-Grade Plutonium Production (EWGPP) Program (Ref A). Korea contribued USD 250,000 in 2005 toward the dismantling of the Zheleznogorsk plutonium reactor. ¶2. On December 19, 2006, EMIN Andrew Quinn, representing DOE, and Acting Director General for International Organizations Choi Sung-joo, representing MOFAT, signed an amendment to the 2005 MOU to permit additional Korean contributions to the program. Before the end of calendar 2006, Korea plans to make an additional contribution of USD 250,000. ¶3. An original signed copy of the amendment, called "Modification No. 1," is being pouched to Pieter Ott in ISN/CTR. VERSHBOW