North Korea has constructed a new uranium enrichment facility at its primary Yongbyon nuclear complex while simultaneously putting into operation an expanded section at its Kangson enrichment site, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The new facility at Yongbyon could house up to 28 centrifuge cascades, while developments at Kangson show that Pyongyang continues to systematically expand the infrastructure required for the production of military-grade nuclear material. The IAEA, which is based in Vienna, emphasizes that the findings demonstrate a steady and ongoing expansion of North Korea's nuclear infrastructure across multiple locations.
New two-story facility in Yongbyon
In its report dated August 28, the IAEA states that it relied on satellite imagery and open-source intelligence to monitor Pyongyang's nuclear activities. Among the materials utilized were photographs published by North Korean state media. The IAEA has not had inspectors in North Korea since 2009, making satellite imagery and open-source analysis primary tools for monitoring the country's nuclear activities. The agency identified a new two-story building at Yongbyon, which it considers to be the second uranium enrichment facility in the area. The conclusion emerged from comparing photographs published by North Korean state media during a visit by the country's leader Kim Jong Un in June with satellite imagery taken during the building's construction.
Up to 28 centrifuge cascades
According to the IAEA report, photographs from Kim Jong Un's visit show that gas centrifuge cascades have been installed on both the upper and lower floors of the main facility. This specific infrastructure could accommodate up to 28 of the centrifuge cascades shown in the photographs. This is a development that reinforces estimates that Pyongyang is systematically investing in increasing its capacity to produce enriched uranium, despite international sanctions and United Nations resolutions.
New expansion at Kangson also in operation
The IAEA simultaneously identified indications that in January the operation of a uranium enrichment facility began in Kangson, near the capital city of Pyongyang. The facility is located in an annex that had been constructed in 2024. This development is considered particularly significant as it demonstrates that North Korea is not limiting itself to expanding the Yongbyon facilities, but is concurrently developing other uranium enrichment sites. In other words, Pyongyang's nuclear activity appears to be acquiring greater scope and more production sites, making international monitoring and control efforts even more difficult.
IAEA: UN resolutions are being violated
The IAEA stresses that these specific developments in North Korea's nuclear program violate UN Security Council resolutions. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed his intense concern on Monday regarding the continued operation of the enrichment facilities. "The ongoing operation of enrichment facilities at Kangson and Yongbyon, as well as the reported further expansion of weapons-grade nuclear material production by the DPRK, are cause for serious concern," Grossi stated to the IAEA Board of Governors. The DPRK is the official name of North Korea, short for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The IAEA report was published alongside Grossi's relevant statement.
Pyongyang defies the IAEA
North Korea has repeatedly rejected the authority of the IAEA to inspect its nuclear program. North Korea's mission to the United Nations in Vienna had declared last September that the country's status as a nuclear power has become irreversible. At the same time, Pyongyang maintained that the IAEA has "no legal right" to interfere in the internal affairs of a state that possesses nuclear weapons and stands outside the NPT, namely the Non-Proliferation Treaty. This position reflects the deep rift between North Korea and the international community.
North Korea's nuclear program continues to grow
The new findings by the IAEA reinforce the picture of a North Korea that continues to expand its nuclear arsenal, despite international pressure and UN resolutions. The creation of new facilities, the installation of centrifuges, and the commissioning of new uranium enrichment infrastructure create new realities for regional and international security. The greatest problem for the international community is that, without IAEA inspectors on North Korean soil since 2009, the true extent of Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities remains difficult to assess with accuracy. One thing, however, emerges clearly from the available data: North Korea is not abandoning its nuclear program – it is expanding it.
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