'To further support the work of IAEA monitoring and verification activities in the DPRK (North Korea), the United States has transferred US$1,800,000 from our voluntary cooperation to help cover associated expenses,' Gregory Schulte told a meeting of the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) here.

'This is in addition to the US$513,000 previously provided,' he said.

Mr Schulte said the IAEA's work verifying the shutdown of five nuclear facilities at Yongbyon and Taechon was 'important and at times can even be dangerous, due to the presence of possible contamination'.

The IAEA's policy-making board of governors had on July 9 granted its chief Mohammed ElBaradei US$2.3 million in 2007 and US$3 million in 2008 for 'monitoring and verification activities' in North Korea.

Mr ElBaradei said there should be no problem in getting the money, since the US has already committed millions of dollars. He said he expected 'a number of countries' to contribute.

Diplomats said the IAEA would be maintaining a 'permanent two-person inspector presence at Yongbyon'.

IAEA inspectors in July returned to North Korea for the first time since 2002, when the agency was kicked out as Pyongyang moved to re-start its Yongbyon plutonium-producing nuclear reactor and resume weapons work.

The visit by the inspectors in July was to verify the first steps by Pyongyang in dismantling its nuclear weapons programme, a process that is expected to be long and difficult.

US technical experts on Tuesday had began a rare visit to North Korea.

The invitation is seen as a hopeful sign that North Korea is serious about permanently shutting down its plants. -- AFP