No sign North Korea reprocessed plutonium in past year, still enriching uranium: IAEA
- 4 years ago
IAEA "북한, 지난 1년간 우라늄 계속 농축해온 듯"
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.
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.