N. Korea suspected of operating secret uranium concentration facilities

U.S. nuclear experts believe that North Korea may likely be running one or two more secret uranium enrichment facilities other than Yongbyon, according to Voice of America (VOA) on Tuesday.

According to VOA, David Albright, head of the Institute of Science and International Security (ISIS), said there could be a couple more secret nuclear facilities in North Korea and that the regime has secured a significant volume of materials and equipment needed for the gas centrifuge.

The centrifuge is critical in producing uranium nuclear fuel in the nuclear development process. It is strictly monitored and supervised by the international community as it can be used in developing nuclear weapons. The North has reportedly run as many as 10,000 such centrifuges, around 4,000 of them near Yongbyon and the rest possibly sitting in the secret facilities in question, according to Albright.

Albright also noted that North Korea could operate a third secret facility because the recently-identified Kangson nuclear facility drew much attention from the international community.

The ISIS head further pointed out that the current moves in the North to increase centrifuge operation in the additional facilities and test light-water reactor in Yongbyon may have a lot to do with the regime leader Kim Jong Un's recent commands to expand nuclear materials production needed for nuclear weapons.


sanghun@donga.com