"North Korea's Uranium Enrichment Capacity Could Increase by 75%"

It has been observed that if North Korea's new uranium enrichment facility becomes fully operational, the country's uranium enrichment capacity could increase by 75% compared to existing levels.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is inspecting the newly operational nuclear material production plant on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency via Korean Central News Agency

On June 10 (local time), The Wall Street Journal cited an analysis by the UK-based nonprofit organization Vertic, reporting that the new facility at North Korea's Yongbyon site is estimated to house more than 9,000 centrifuges. According to Vertic, the facility is expected to produce approximately 160 kilograms of highly enriched uranium annually. Vertic also estimated that North Korea's existing annual production capacity for highly enriched uranium is about 215 kilograms.

Grant Christopher, co-author of Vertic's analytical report, stated, "North Korea likely already possesses all the material needed to maintain a medium-sized nuclear arsenal," adding, "Now, it appears that they are increasing that number." He further noted, "There is no evidence that North Korea will stop this anytime soon."

Christopher also estimated North Korea's total stockpile of highly enriched uranium at around 2,100 kilograms. This is about one-tenth of the military stockpiles held by nuclear powers such as the United Kingdom or France, both of which have large-scale nuclear programs.

Once the new facility is completed, it is expected to become the largest publicly known uranium enrichment facility in North Korea. The Wall Street Journal pointed out that this major expansion demonstrates North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's intention to significantly expand the nuclear program, despite pressure from major powers such as the United States and China.

North Korea's nuclear development has heightened security concerns among neighboring countries. China has also pressured North Korea for years to halt its nuclear weapons development. However, in recent years, China has refrained from making such demands publicly. Even Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently visited North Korea, did not mention denuclearization publicly.

Additionally, The Wall Street Journal reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's ongoing expansion of the nuclear arsenal is interpreted as a sign that the chances for negotiations with the United States and others have diminished. The United States has previously proposed easing sanctions in exchange for North Korea scaling down its nuclear program.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated that North Korea currently possesses about 60 nuclear warheads. The institute also assessed that North Korea has secured enough fissile material to produce at least 90 additional nuclear warheads. This figure has increased from about 50 warheads in 2025.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.