Seoul: North Korea's western city of Kusong has come into the spotlight following Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's controversial mention of it as a potential nuclear facility site. This revelation has sparked discussions about the city's role in North Korea's nuclear ambitions, as it has long been suspected of housing uranium enrichment facilities but remains relatively obscure.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung identified Kusong, along with Yongbyon and Kangson, during a parliamentary committee session as sites containing uranium enrichment facilities. This rare disclosure by a government official has led to diplomatic strains, with the United States protesting the remarks, which are believed to have been based on Washington's intelligence. In response, the U.S. has partially suspended intelligence sharing with Seoul, accusing Chung of leaking classified information.
Historically, neither Seoul nor Washington had officially recognized Kusong as a nuclear facility site, focusing instead on Yongbyon and Kangson. However, since the mid-2010s, suspicions have been raised about Kusong's potential involvement in North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The city, located 50 kilometers northwest of the Yongbyon nuclear complex, was identified in a 2016 report by the U.S.-based Institute for Science and International Security as a preliminary site with a possible uranium enrichment facility.
Further insights were provided in a 2024 Radio Free Asia interview, where Bruce Bennett from the RAND think tank highlighted the Yongdok district in Kusong as housing a large-scale underground facility. This raised the possibility of its use for uranium enrichment, a process that involves centrifuges to produce weapons-grade uranium and is easier to conceal from international scrutiny.
While details about Yongbyon and Kangson have been relatively well-documented, the recent developments suggest that Washington may now regard Kusong as a significant site alongside these well-known facilities. In light of the situation, the South Korean government has launched a security investigation into the unification ministry. Preliminary findings reportedly indicate that Chung did not disclose U.S.-shared intelligence, attempting to ease the diplomatic tensions between Seoul and Washington.