11.   The rods are starting to corrode in the cooling ponds where they are stored.

12.   A large cylindrical basket holding the irradiated fuel elements appeared to come loose as it was being lowered to a cooling pond, he said.

13.   The rods could erode if kept in the cooling ponds.

14.   The spent fuel rods, currently kept in a cooling pond, are supposed to be moved to safe storage under a separate agreement with the United States.

15.   They were placed in a cooling pond, where they are inspected regularly by international observers.

16.   U.S. experts are in North Korea now to keep the decaying rods safe in a cooling pond.

17.   U.S. officials said their experts in the North would provide technical assistance for safeguarding the spent fuel rods in a cooling pond.

18.   Asked about fuel rods that could be reprocessed for plutonium and are now in cooling ponds, Gallucci said they will remain under IAEA surveillance.

19.   The rods are sitting in cooling ponds, and the Koreans say they will corrode and become a hazard if not reprocessed soon.

20.   The rods will be put in a cooling pond in steel canisters until they are removed from North Korea, White House spokesman Michael McCurry said.