N. Korea to resume nuclear plant dismantling

SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) - North Korea said Sunday it welcomed the United States' decision to take it off a list of states that sponsor terrorism, and said it will resume disabling its nuclear facilities.

"We welcomed Washington's moves to follow through on their responsibilities according to the agreement reached ...  as well as ending the application of the trade law for enemy countries," a spokesman for the country's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the (North) Korea Central News Agency.

In a version of the statement that South Korean news agency Yonhap carried, North Korea also said it will now resume disabling its nuclear plants.

"With the move by the United States we will also fulfill our 'action for action' principle and resume the disabling of the (Yongbyon) nuclear facilities and allow inspectors from the United States and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) to resume their responsibilities," the statement said.

North Korea halted the dismantling of the plutonium-producing plants in August after a stalemate over verification measures.