High activity spotted at North Korea nuclear site after Kim orders production of more weapons

Satellite images have shown high-level activity at North Korea’s main nuclear site after the North Korean leader ordered an increase in production of bomb fuel to expand the country’s nuclear arsenal.

The Washington-based 38 North Korea monitoring project said the activity it had spotted, based on images from March 3 and 17, could indicate that an Experimental Light Water Reactor (ELWR) at the Yongbyon site was nearing completion and transition to operational status, international news agency Associated Press (AP) reported.

As per the report, the images showed that a 5 megawatt reactor at Yongbyon continued to operate and construction had started on a support building around the ELWR. Water discharges had also been detected from that reactor’s cooling system.

The report added that new construction had also started around Yongbyon’s uranium enrichment plant and is likely to expand its capabilities.

“These developments seem to reflect Kim Jong Un’s recent directive to increase the country’s fissile material production to expand its nuclear weapons arsenal,” AP quoted a statement from the report.

Earlier this week, North Korea unveiled new, smaller nuclear warheads and vowed to produce more weapons-grade nuclear equipment to expand its arsenal as a US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for military drills.

Kim Jong Un ordered the production of weapons-grade materials in a “far-sighted way” to boost the country’s nuclear arsenal “exponentially” and produce powerful weapons.

South Korea and the US have warned since early 2022 that North Korea may resume nuclear testing at any time.