Photos show North Korea expanding uranium enrichment plant

A missile test-firing launched from a train at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo / Supplied

Recent satellite images shows North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, a sign that it's intent on boosting the production of bomb materials, experts say.

The assessment comes after North Korea recently raised tensions by performing its first missile tests in six months amid long-dormant nuclear disarmament diplomacy with the United States.

"The expansion of the enrichment plant probably indicates that North Korea plans to increase its production of weapons-grade uranium at the Yongbyon site by as much as 25 per cent," Jeffrey Lewis and two other experts at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey said in a report.

The report said satellite images taken by Maxar shows construction in an area adjoining the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon.

It said a satellite image taken on September 1 shows North Korea cleared trees and prepared the ground for construction and that a construction excavator is also visible. The report said a second image taken on September 14 showed a wall erected to enclose the area, work on a foundation and panels removed from the side of the enrichment building to provide access to the newly enclosed area.

"The new area is approximately 1000sq m, enough space to house 1000 additional centrifuges," the report said. "The addition of 1000 new centrifuges would increase the plant's capacity to produce highly enriched uranium by 25 per cent."

North Korea appears to be expanding the size of the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon by about 25 percent. @DaveSchmerler, @Joshua_Pollack and I think this may relate to growing weapons requirements for highly-enriched uranium. pic.twitter.com/h8O7RVpIGZ

— Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) September 16, 2021

Nuclear weapons can be built using either highly enriched uranium or plutonium, and North Korea has facilities to produce both at Yongbyon. Last month, earlier satellite photos on Yongbyon showed signs that North Korea was resuming the operation of other facilities to produce weapons-grade plutonium.

North Korea calls the Yongbyon complex "the heart" of its nuclear programme. During a summit with then-President Donald Trump in early 2019, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered to dismantle the entire complex if he was given major sanctions relief. But the Americans rejected Kim's proposal because they viewed it as a limited denuclearisation step.

US and South Korean experts speculate North Korea is covertly running multiple other uranium-enrichment plants. In 2018, a top South Korean official told parliament that North Korea was estimated to have already manufactured up to 60 nuclear weapons as well.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves from a balcony toward the assembled troops and spectators during a celebration of the nation's 73rd anniversary. Photo / Supplied

In the past week, North Korea launched both ballistic and cruise missiles toward the sea in tests seen as an effort to diversify its missile forces and strengthen its attack capability on South Korea and Japan, where a total of 80,000 American troops are based. Experts say both types of missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads.

Kim has threatened to bolster his nuclear arsenal and acquire more sophisticated weapons unless Washington drops its hostility against his country in an apparent reference to US-led sanctions and its regular military drills with Seoul. But he still maintains his self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles directly targeting the US mainland, a suggestion that he wants to keep chances for future diplomacy with Washington alive.