Photos show North Korea expanding uranium enrichment plant
Source: AP
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Recent satellite images show North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, a sign that its intent on boosting the production of bomb materials, experts say.
The assessment comes after North Korea recently raised tensions with its first missile tests in six months amid long-dormant nuclear disarmament negotiations 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%, Jeffrey Lewis and two other experts at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey said in a report.
The report said the photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar showed construction in an area adjoining the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon.
FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2021, file photo provided by the North Korean government, Sept. 16, 2021, shows a test missile is launched from a train, in an undisclosed location of North Korea. Recent satellite images shows North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, a sign that its 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. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
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