In a rare move, North Korea has disclosed details about a secretive facility used to produce weapons-grade uranium. The revelation comes as state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un visited the site and called for a significant increase in the country’s nuclear weapons.
While it is uncertain whether the facility is part of North Korea’s main Yongbyon nuclear complex, this is the first time the country has revealed such a site since allowing American scholars to view one at Yongbyon in 2010. The disclosure appears to be a strategic effort to pressure the United States and its allies, with the newly released images providing valuable insight into North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Jong Un expressed “great satisfaction” with the technical advancements in North Korea’s nuclear program during his visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the uranium enrichment facility. KCNA reported that Kim toured the control room and a construction site intended to expand the facility’s capacity.
Photos released by North Korean state media show Kim observing rows of centrifuges and being briefed by scientists. While the KCNA did not specify the timing or location of Kim’s visit, the leader emphasized the need to increase the number of centrifuges to “exponentially” boost the nation’s nuclear arsenal for self-defense. Kim also called for the introduction of a new type of centrifuge.
Kim’s comments reflect a heightened focus on enhancing North Korea’s nuclear capabilities in response to what he described as increasing threats from the United States and its allies. The KCNA quoted Kim as saying that North Korea’s defense needs have grown due to what he termed as “undisguised” anti-North Korea nuclear threats from “US imperialist-led vassal forces.”
South Korea’s Unification Ministry condemned North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, labeling them as “illegal” and a severe threat to international peace. The ministry stated that North Korea’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, despite UN prohibitions, undermines global security.
North Korea first showcased its uranium enrichment site at Yongbyon to external observers in 2010, when a delegation led by nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker was permitted to tour the facility. At that time, North Korean officials revealed the presence of 2,000 operational centrifuges.
Satellite imagery since then has suggested increased enrichment activity at Yongbyon, raising suspicions of additional secret enrichment sites. Estimates in 2018 suggested that North Korea held between 250 and 500 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for 25 to 30 nuclear devices.
North Korea has significantly accelerated its weapons testing since 2022, aiming to expand and modernize its nuclear arsenal. This push for nuclear expansion comes amid growing military cooperation with Russia, with accusations that North Korea is supplying arms to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine in exchange for military and economic aid.
