North Korea unveils new nuclear fuel plant as Kim orders 'exponential' arsenal expansion
North Korea unveiled a new plant producing fuel for nuclear weapons, with Kim Jong Un ordering the arsenal built up 'at an exponential rate', per KCNA. Seoul's Joint Chiefs assess the site as a uranium enrichment facility. Its location and start of operations remain undisclosed.
North Korea has put a second uranium enrichment site on public display in under two years. State media on Thursday unveiled a new facility for producing nuclear bomb fuel, with Kim Jong Un ordering the country's nuclear forces expanded 'at an exponential rate' during his inspection, according to KCNA. Photos released by state media show a large hall filled with what appear to be centrifuges, the machines used to enrich uranium to weapons grade. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff assess the site as a uranium enrichment plant. KCNA said the facility uses 'more sophisticated technology' but gave no location and no start date. Kim claimed North Korea's capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material has more than doubled compared with five years ago. That claim cannot be independently verified. In September 2024, Pyongyang publicly showed another previously covert uranium enrichment plant. Before that, the fissile material program had long been kept secret. Still undisclosed: where the plant is located, when it began operating, and how much enriched material it can produce. Reporting by AP, Reuters and CNN, based on KCNA statements and South Korean military assessments.