The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in a fresh report on the emergence of a new uranium enrichment facility at North Korea's main nuclear complex — Yongbyon. According to preliminary estimates by the agency's specialists, the new two-story building can accommodate up to 28 cascades of gas centrifuges. As RBC-Ukraine reports, the discovery was revealed in an IAEA document based on satellite imagery and open-source materials.
What the IAEA investigation revealed
The agency's specialists identified the new two-story building at Yongbyon as a second uranium enrichment facility. To do so, they compared satellite images taken at various stages of construction with footage from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's June visit to the complex. In the photographs broadcast by state television, cascades of gas centrifuges can be seen installed on both floors of the main building. According to the IAEA's assessment, the facility is capable of housing up to 28 such cascades.
Reaction from the IAEA Director General
An official statement on the findings of the report was issued by the agency's Director General, Rafael Grossi. "The current operation of enrichment facilities at Kangson and Yongbyon, as well as reports of further expansion of North Korea's production of weapons-usable nuclear material, are a cause for serious concern," he emphasized. Thus, the agency is recording not a one-off construction effort, but a sustained trend toward expanding Pyongyang's nuclear infrastructure in several locations at once.
Methodology and limitations of observation
It is important to note that IAEA inspectors have not been working on the territory of North Korea since 2009. As a result, the agency monitors North Korea's nuclear activities exclusively through remote methods: via satellite imagery and open-source materials, including photographs published by North Korean state media. This means that all conclusions in the report are based on indirect, rather than direct on-site, verification.
Contradictory data
The report and the statements of the parties involved contain a significant caveat that must be taken into account. The figure of "up to 28 cascades" is an estimate of the facility's capacity, not a confirmed number of actually operating units. Moreover, the agency's judgment on the "current operation" of enrichment facilities at Kangson and Yongbyon is based on indirect indicators — satellite data and footage of the visit — because IAEA inspectors have not been on site since 2009. Accordingly, the actual load and operating mode of the centrifuges have not been directly verified, and the data are preliminary and may be refined as new imagery becomes available.
Context: expansion of the nuclear and military program
According to the IAEA, the development of North Korea's nuclear program violates United Nations Security Council resolutions. Against the backdrop of the nuclear news, Pyongyang continues to build up its military potential as well: it was previously reported that Kim Jong Un commissioned another nuclear-powered destroyer, and a few months ago North Korea tested a new destroyer armed with strategic cruise missiles. Taken together, these steps indicate that North Korea's nuclear and naval-missile programs are developing in parallel and accelerating.
