In a first, North Korea publically releases photos of banned uranium enrichment site
Sep 13, 2024
Seoul [South Korea], September 13 : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was shown inspecting a uranium enrichment facility in a report by state media, which also released images of centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs, South Korean media said on Friday.
Yonhap in its report, published photos by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) of Kim visiting the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the production base of weapons-grade nuclear materials. The dispatch did not release the location of the facility or the date of the visit.
Kim Jong-un has called for increasing the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment in order to increase its nuclear weapons for self-defence, the North Koran official media said.
North Korea's nuclear programme is banned under multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The country, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, has never publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facility.
"He went round the control room of the uranium enrichment base to learn about the overall operation of the production lines," the KCNA said adding that Kim expressed great satisfaction after being briefed that the "base is dynamically producing nuclear materials" Yonhap news outlet reported.
A uranium enrichment facility is used to produce highly enriched uranium by placing uranium in centrifuges and spinning it at high speeds. Highly enriched uranium is essential for the manufacture of nuclear warheads.
South Korean and US intelligence agencies believe North Korea operates uranium enrichment facilities at the Kangson nuclear complex near Pyongyang and at the Yongbyon nuclear site. Ties between North Korea and South Korea have been fraught with tensions.
On September 12, North Korea said it had fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into waters east of the Korean peninsula. Giving no further details about the same, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the analysis of the incident is underway.
North Korea also recently announced the deployment of 250 ballistic missile launchers to its southern border.
Previously, the North has sent balloons filled with trash to South Korea.
Last month, Kim Jong-un called for the development and production of more "suicide drones" to enhance war preparedness. Yonhap had previously reported that Kim on August 24 had overseen a performance test of various drones.
