Vienna - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stopped stopped monitoring North Korea's nuclear facilities on Wednesday, a diplomat in Vienna said one day after the country announced it would kick out the IAEA inspectors.

IAEA inspectors have removed all seals that were in place to verify that North Korea's nuclear programme remains turned off, said the diplomat who did not want to be identified.

In addition, all of the agency's surveillance cameras have been turned to face the wall, he said.

Following the United Nations Security Council's condemnation of North Korea's recent rocket launch, Pyongyang told the IAEA Tuesday that it would restart its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon and that it wanted the inspectors to leave as soon as possible.

The country also announced that it would boycott international negotiations on ending its nuclear weapons programme.

The diplomat said that although the IAEA officials were still in North Korea, "they are getting out." (dpa)