South Korea to take follow-up measures after an international organization declared suspension of construction of two light water reactors in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency on Saturday.

Seoul government plans to take steps aimed at keeping intact construction and key facilities at the reactor site in the DPRK's remote northeastern coastal village of Kumho by holding consultations with the executive board of the US-led Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO).

Seoul's move came hours after KEDO's executive board comprising South Korea, the United States, Japan and the European Union, officially decided Friday in New York to halt construction for one year, beginning from Dec. 1.

Seoul plans to bring home 359 South Korean nationals working at the construction site for their safety, but it will decide on the number of a small detachment necessary to preserve and maintain the reactor site, said Yonhap.

Seoul also plans to bring back equipment, materials and technical documents related to the project through consistent persuasion, while avoiding physical confrontation with DPRK authorities.

South Korean officials called for the DPRK's cooperation to ensure follow-up steps are implemented following the suspension of the reactor project, adding that financial costs in bringing back personnel, equipment and maintaining the reactor site will be decided after consultation with the executive board.

Earlier this month Pyongyang reacted angrily to the consortium' s decision and threatened to seize equipment, materials and technical documents related to the project.

Under the 1994 Agreed Framework signed between the US and the DPRK, Washington promised to build one 2,000 megawatt and two 1, 000 megawatt light water reactors (LWRs) for the DPRK. In return, the DPRK agreed to give up its nuclear program.

According to schedule, the two LWRs should be completed by the end of 2003, but up to now only 24 percent of the construction work has been finished.

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