(Image Source: Flickr/David Myers)

BY VICTORIA CRAIG

The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday North Korea has agreed to suspend its nuclear weapons program in exchange for 240,000 tons of food for the nation. Fort Myer’s WINK has the details.

“North Korea agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and comply with a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests.”

The deal between the U.S. and North Korea was actually set to be announced just before the nation’s leader, Kim Jong Il died in December. CNN reports now with his son, Kim Jong Un in power, the deal is moving forward – with caution. A CNN anchor calls help from the U.S. nutritional assistance — not food aid.

“North Korea has a history of doing is giving food aid grain, rice, those types of things to the regime...So they’re going to give this very targeted nutritional assistance: bars, that kind of thing.”

The deal doesn’t end there, though. North Korea also agreed to allow officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor the moratorium and confirm the nuclear reactor has been disabled. But, Fox News warns the agreement could fall by the wayside.

“Over the past 15 or 20 years, oftentimes this is the way North Korea acts then they react another way. We’ll see whether or not this hold or whether or not it bears fruit in these negotiations.”

Hong Kong-based news service, Phoenix TV talks to one critic who says it’s unclear how Kim Jong Un’s administration will handle international relations with the U.S. But he also says the food assistance might mark a shift in U.S. policy.

“Americans’ attitudes have already changed. Americans used to think people first, no matter what the political situation. But now Americans are willing to use food aid as a tool to solve North Korea’s nuclear problem.”

The New York Times expands on the possibility that the North could back out.  

“...the North’s Korean Central News Agency appeared to give the North wiggle room again this time, saying that it would carry out the agreement ‘as long as talks proceed fruitfully.’”

In a statement, the U.S. State Department expressed its concerns about North Korea, but said it was quote, “prepared to take steps to improve our bilateral relationship in the spirit of mutual respect for sovereignty and equality.”