I've been doing a lot of reading about this.
So, what's true about this meme?
Not much. Bill Clinton did agree with North Korea to give them money to build 2 new nuclear reactors.
The reason why, though is because at the time North Korea already had 1 reactor, and 2 more in construction that were capable of producing weapons grade plutonium.
The deal was basically to switch these 3 reactors with 2 new ones that were not capable of producing the plutonium. This included money (closer to 4 billion, not 5.) to construct them.
The US basically passed these costs along to South Korea and Japan largely, who worked together to build them.
What happened?
The money to create them was delayed. It wasn't until 2002 when the first concrete was laid on site. And the agreement was dissolved a year later. North Korea never got any completed reactors. Not even close. North Korea was getting upset and they restarted their working reactor. This is ultimately why the deal was dissolved.
North Korea did not get the reactors, nor did they get the money, and we know it slowed down their progress towards building weapons.
This meme has been going around, with the events currently, it's not surprising.
So, what's true about this meme?
Not much. Bill Clinton did agree with North Korea to give them money to build 2 new nuclear reactors.
The reason why, though is because at the time North Korea already had 1 reactor, and 2 more in construction that were capable of producing weapons grade plutonium.
The deal was basically to switch these 3 reactors with 2 new ones that were not capable of producing the plutonium. This included money (closer to 4 billion, not 5.) to construct them.
The US basically passed these costs along to South Korea and Japan largely, who worked together to build them.
What happened?
The money to create them was delayed. It wasn't until 2002 when the first concrete was laid on site. And the agreement was dissolved a year later. North Korea never got any completed reactors. Not even close. North Korea was getting upset and they restarted their working reactor. This is ultimately why the deal was dissolved.
North Korea did not get the reactors, nor did they get the money, and we know it slowed down their progress towards building weapons.
This meme has been going around, with the events currently, it's not surprising.