North Korea May Produce Uranium-Enriched Nuclear Bomb in Next Couple of Years

North Korea may complete the uranium enriching program, indispensable for developing a nuclear weapon, in the next couple of years and possess the capacity of manufacturing approximately three nuclear bombs annually, Gary Samore, the director of studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, predicted this on January 26.

In the conference “Weapons of North Korea – Final Report,” which was held in Seoul and sponsored by the Seoul International Forum on January 26, Samore remarked, “The U.S. administration and the Central Intelligence Agency assume that North Korea will complete its uranium enriching program by around 2005 to 2006,” adding, “However, considering the technological difficulties, the completion of the program can be delayed several years later from what we expect.”

He continued, “All things taken together, such as their attempt to purchase diverse uranium enriching related parts, show that North Korea seems to possess the capacity of manufacturing 75 kilograms of highly enriched uranium annually. This capacity can create approximately three nuclear bombs annually.”

He also calculated, “Adding their capacity of creating nuclear bombs with plutonium, North Korea’s ability of manufacturing nuclear bombs can increase to eight to 10 bombs annually by 2005.”

“As it takes considerable time for North Korea to become fully equipped with the nuclear weapons manufacturing technology, we have ample time to solve these problems through diplomatic efforts. Tardiness in solving the problem will confer the capability of manufacturing the nuclear weapon onto North Korea,” Samore advised.

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