Vienna: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief revealed evidence suggesting North Korea’s ongoing operation of uranium enrichment plants at two sites, highlighting further breaches of U.N. Security Council resolutions by the country.
According to Yonhap News Agency, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi addressed the issue during the agency’s Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria. He identified the uranium enrichment plants located in Kangson, near Pyongyang, and Yongbyon, north of the capital, as operational. This assessment aligns with previous reports of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to nuclear facilities, suggesting an intensification of the nuclear program despite efforts for denuclearization by Seoul and Washington.
Grossi noted that both the uranium enrichment plants and the light water reactor (LWR) at Yongbyon are active. The IAEA observed new additions to the support infrastructure near the LWR, indicating ongoing developments. Furthermore, the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at Yongbyon resumed operation in mid-October last year after a shutdown, signaling preparations for its seventh operational cycle.
The IAEA has also identified strong indicators of an upcoming reprocessing campaign, including activity at the steam plant serving the Radiochemical Laboratory, a key facility for plutonium reprocessing. Approximately 6 kilograms of plutonium is necessary to construct a nuclear bomb.
Grossi mentioned the North’s state media release of images showing Kim’s visit to a nuclear material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute. The depicted infrastructure matches the Yongbyon Uranium Enrichment Plant’s layout. This follows North Korea’s publication of photos in September 2024 of an undeclared enrichment facility at the Kangson Complex.
The presence of undeclared enrichment facilities at both Kangson and Yongbyon, along with Kim’s directive to increase weapons-grade nuclear material production, raises significant concerns. Grossi expressed regret over the continuation of North Korea’s nuclear program and urged compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions and cooperation with the IAEA to resolve outstanding issues.
The IAEA remains prepared to verify North Korea’s nuclear program, emphasizing the importance of its role in this matter.