In a significant disclosure on Thursday, a senior South Korean official confirmed that North Korea is actively operating four uranium enrichment facilities. This revelation adds to existing intelligence suggesting Pyongyang possesses multiple clandestine atomic plants, expanding beyond the well-known site near the capital.
This news comes amidst North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s persistent calls for a swift and substantial expansion of his nation’s nuclear weapons program. He recently emphasized that these arms are not up for negotiation, directly addressing overtures made by U.S. President Donald Trump.
South Korea’s Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, stated that centrifuges at these four facilities, including the publicized Yongbyon site approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Pyongyang, are in continuous operation. He underscored the critical urgency of halting North Korea’s nuclear advancements.
Minister Chung did not provide further details on the precise locations of these additional, undeclared nuclear sites, sharing this information with local reporters through his Ministry.
He further cited an assessment that North Korea has accumulated an estimated 2,000 kilograms (around 4,400 pounds) of highly enriched uranium. While initially presented as intelligence-based, the Ministry later clarified this figure was derived from civilian expert analyses.
Should this assessment be confirmed, it would signify a dramatic increase in North Korea’s existing nuclear material reserves.
For context, in 2018, renowned Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker (who had previously visited the Yongbyon complex), estimated the North’s highly enriched uranium stockpile at 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100 pounds), enough for 25 to 30 nuclear devices.
Nuclear weapons can be fabricated using either highly enriched uranium or plutonium. North Korea possesses the capability to produce both at Yongbyon. Last year, Pyongyang released images claiming to show another uranium enrichment facility, marking the first such revelation since the Yongbyon site was showcased to Hecker and others in 2010.
The exact location and other specifics of the facility featured in these recent photographs remain undisclosed.
International experts largely concur that North Korea has been constructing additional uranium-enrichment sites, driven by Kim’s relentless ambition to expand his country’s nuclear arsenal.
Unlike plutonium plants, which are typically large and generate easily detectable heat signatures, uranium enrichment facilities are more compact and can be covertly concealed, even underground, making satellite detection considerably more challenging.
It remains incredibly difficult for external observers to independently verify the precise number of nuclear weapons North Korea has manufactured from its fissile material production at Yongbyon and other sites.
In 2018, a top South Korean official informed parliament that North Korea was estimated to possess 20-60 nuclear weapons. However, some experts now believe the actual number could exceed 100. Estimates for the annual increase in North Korea’s nuclear bomb arsenal vary widely, from six to as many as eighteen.
International diplomatic efforts aimed at denuclearizing North Korea have been at a standstill since 2019, following the breakdown of high-profile summits between Kim and Trump without any concrete agreements.
During those talks, Kim had proposed dismantling the Yongbyon complex in exchange for substantial sanctions relief. However, the American delegation rejected this offer, viewing it as a limited denuclearization step that would leave North Korea’s other, already developed nuclear weapons and facilities unaddressed.
Since then, Kim has largely avoided direct diplomacy with the U.S. and South Korea, instead prioritizing weapons testing and the refinement of nuclear-capable missiles designed to threaten his adversaries.
Despite this, Mr. Trump, since returning to office, has repeatedly voiced a desire to resume discussions with Kim. Earlier this week, Kim acknowledged positive memories of Mr. Trump but insisted that the U.S. abandon its demand for North Korea to surrender its nuclear arms as a prerequisite for restarting long-stalled diplomatic engagement.
Analysts widely believe that an expanded nuclear arsenal would be perceived by Mr. Kim as a significant source of leverage in any forthcoming negotiations with the United States.
In such potential talks, these experts suggest, Mr. Kim would likely once again aim to secure comprehensive sanctions relief and improved relations with the U.S., offering only a partial concession on his nuclear and missile programs in return.