The International Atomic Energy Agency says
there's no sign North Korea reprocessed spent
fuel from its main nuclear reactor into plutonium
in the past year,... but it seems to have
continued to enrich uranium..
Lee Seung-jae has this story.
In its annual report released this week,...
the IAEA says it's "almost certain" that no
reprocessing activity for plutonium has taken
place in North Korea over the past twelve
months,... but other signs point to the regime
continuing its enrichment of uranium,... the
other potential fuel for nuclear weapons.
The IAEA says the experimental 5-megawatt
reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, which
is widely believed to have produced plutonium
for weapons, has been shut down since early
December 2018.
However, satellite pictures which show vehicle
movements and the operation of cooling units
at a fuel-rod fabrication plant at Yongbyon
suggest North Korea has been producing enriched
uranium there.
The UN watchdog added that North Korea could
also be enriching uranium at a facility just
outside the capital Pyeongyang,... in Kangson,...
which has only attracted attention as a potential
enrichment site in recent years.
It said the construction of the Kangson complex
took place before the construction of the
reported centrifuge enrichment facility in
Yongbyon,... with which it shares some characteristics.
The IAEA has not had access to North Korea's
nuclear sites since the regime expelled its
inspectors in 2009,... as Pyeongyang pressed
ahead with its nuclear weapons program,...
and soon resume nuclear testing.
The regime's last nuclear weapons test was
in 2017.
According to U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary
of Defense for nuclear and missile defense
policy Rob Soofer,... North Korea is continuing
to build its long-range missile capabilities,
possibly including a submarine-launched ballistic
missile.
However, Soofer added that the extent of it
is unknown.
In response to such potential threats,...
he said the U.S. is enhancing its missile
defense capabilities,... partly with the standard
missile-3 block IIA, which he revealed may
be deployed in the near future.
With such reports emerging on North Korea,...
the U.S. is calling on the regime to return
to the negotiating table.
This, according to the U.S. Assistant Secretary
of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs,
David Stilwell,... who says Pyeongyang cannot
remain isolated and there's room for a brighter
future for the North and the North Korean
people.
Nuclear talks between Pyeongyang and Washington
have stalled over how to sequence the North's
denuclearization and U.S. concessions.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.
