1.   An important part of the nuclear agreement is that North Korea will not reprocess those rods and will eventually allow them to be stored outside the country.

2.   If the rods are reprocessed, they could produce enough plutonium for several weapons.

3.   Experts say that reprocessing those rods could give the hard-line communist North enough plutonium to make several atomic bombs.

4.   Washington maintains that unless the rods are reprocessed they could corrode and cause a serious nuclear accident.

5.   North Korea says the rods must be reprocessed soon for safety reasons because they are corroding while sitting in a cooling pond.