North Korea publicly reveals uranium enrichment facility for the first time
On Friday, North Korea publicly disclosed images of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time, featuring leader Kim Jong Un touring the site and advocating for an increase in centrifuges to expand its nuclear arsenal.
Kim toured the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the "production base of weapon-grade nuclear materials," the official Korean Central News Agency reported, without giving the location of the facility or the date of the visit.Kim "stressed the need to further augment the number of centrifuges in order to exponentially increase the nuclear weapons for self-defence," state media reported, publishing images of Kim inspecting rows of centrifuges.
Kim "acquainted himself with the production of nuclear warheads and current nuclear materials," the report said.
The North Korean leader was briefed about the facility "dynamically producing nuclear materials by studying, developing and introducing all the system elements including centrifugal separators," KCNA said.
Kim urged the facility to "push forward the introduction of a new-type centrifuge... so as to further strengthen the foundation for producing weapon-grade nuclear materials".
Kim also "stressed the need to set a higher long-term goal in producing nuclear materials necessary", added KCNA.
North Korea's nuclear weapons programmes are banned by UN sanctions, but the country has long flouted the restrictions, thanks in part to support from allies Russia and China.
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