2002

Oct: North Korea reportedly admits to US special envoy James Kelly that it has a program to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons in violation of the 1994 Geneva accord known as the Agreed Framework.

Nov 14: The United States and its allies agree to suspend fuel oil shipments promised to North Korea under the Agreed Framework.

Dec 12: North Korea says it will reactivate nuclear facilities frozen under the now-defunct 1994 accord because of power shortages.

Dec 19: Liberal Roh Moo-Hyun, who campaigned against the US hardline policy on North Korea, is elected as South Korea's next president.

Dec 21-25: North Korea removes seals and monitoring cameras from its nuclear complex at Yongbyon north of Pyongyang, shut down under the 1994 pact. Seals are also removed from some 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods.

Dec 27: North Korea expels monitors from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and says it plans to reactivate a reprocessing plant.

2003

Jan 10: North Korea announces its withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Jan 28: US President George W. Bush describes North Korea as an "outlaw" state in his State of the Union address. Pyongyang says the speech is an "undisguised declaration of aggression."

Feb 10: Moody's downgrades South Korea's sovereign ratings outlook to negative citing nuclear "security concerns."

Feb 12: The IAEA declares North Korea in violation of non-proliferation accords and refers the crisis to the UN Security Council.

Feb 25: Roh Moo-Hyun is inaugurated as South Korean president. North Korea test fires a missile into the Sea of Japan before the swearing-in.

Feb 26: North Korea restarts its five-megawatt nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, US officials say.

March 4: US and South Korean troops begin month-long joint war games described by North Korea as a prelude to invasion.

March 10: North Korea test-fires a second anti-ship missile into Sea of Japan.

March 20: US-led war in Iraq begins. South Korea's president expresses support for the campaign. North Korea denounces the war.

April 2: South Korea's National Assembly approves the dispatch of 700 non-combat troops to Iraq. North Korea responds with anger.

April 9: UN Security Council expresses concern about the nuclear crisis but issues no condemnation of North Korea.

April 10: North Korea's withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty becomes effective.

April 12: North Korea drops demand for one-on-one talks with Washington and says it will accept any format for dialogue if the United States is ready to make a "bold switch-over" in its Korea policy.

April 18: North Korea claims it has begun reprocessing more than 8,000 spent fuel rods to make weapons-grade plutonium.

April 23: The United States, North Korea and China meet for three days of three-way talks in Beijing. North Korea admits to possessing nuclear weapons, according to the US side. North Korea submits a "bold proposal" for resolving the crisis.

May 14: President Roh and President Bush agree at a Washington summit that "further steps" may be needed against North Korea.

May 22: President Bush and Japanese leader Junichiro Koizumi denounce North Korea's nuclear weapons drive at a Texas summit, referring to the possible need for "stronger measures."

June 2: North Korea says it has almost completed reprocessing 8,000 spent nuclear fuel rods for more nuclear bombs, according to a US Congressional delegation that visited Pyongyang.

July 9: South Korea's intelligence chief says evidence points to reprocessing of "a small portion" of North Korea's stockpile of spent fuel rods.

July 16: The White House says North Korea informed the United States that it had completed reprocessing 8,000 spent fuel rods on June 30. Washington and Seoul say they are unable to confirm the claim.

July 31: North Korea agrees to six-way talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the United States. No date is fixed.

WAR.WIRE