NORTH KOREA BUILDS NEW URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY AT YONGBYON COMPLEX

The International Atomic Energy Agency has identified a new uranium enrichment facility at North Korea's main Yongbyon nuclear complex, according to a report released this week. The two-storey building can house up to 28 centrifuge cascades used to enrich uranium, the IAEA said. The agency identified the facility by comparing satellite imagery taken during its construction with photographs of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the site in June, which state media described as a "newly-inaugurated nuclear materials production factory". Rafael Grossi, IAEA director general, described the development as "a cause for serious concern".

The IAEA also reported that North Korea has expanded operations at an enrichment site in Kangson, near Pyongyang, with an annex built in 2024 appearing to become operational in January. Construction of the Yongbyon facility began in late 2024, according to the agency. During his June visit, Kim Jong Un stated that the North's capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material had more than doubled over the past five years. According to analysis cited by South Korean media, the potential 28 cascades at Yongbyon could comprise approximately 4,592 centrifuges capable of producing about 85 kilograms of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium annually—sufficient for three or four additional warheads. Grossi stated that the developments constitute "clear violations of relevant UN security council resolutions", to which North Korea has been subject since 2006.

The IAEA, whose inspectors were expelled from North Korea in 2009, said the expansion demonstrates continued development of the country's nuclear programme despite existing international sanctions. South Korea's defence minister stated in August that the North possessed between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads. The reported expansion marks a significant escalation in North Korea's stated nuclear ambitions following Kim Jong Un's description of 2025 as a "crucial year" for strengthening nuclear forces.