North Korea unveils new uranium enrichment unit

Kim Jong Un vows exponential nuclear buildup 

Seoul: North Korea on Thursday unveiled a new uranium-enrichment facility, with leader Kim Jong Un pledging to expand the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate”.

State media KCNA said Kim visited the facility on Wednesday and reviewed its operations and long-term production plans. Photos showed what appeared to be a centrifuge hall used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons, though KCNA did not disclose the plant’s location or operational timeline.

Kim said growing confrontations with “the most ferocious enemies”, an apparent reference to the US and South Korea, required a stronger nuclear deterrent. 

He claimed North Korea’s production of weapons-grade nuclear materials had more than doubled over the past five years, a claim that could not be independently verified.

The disclosure follows the North’s unveiling of another covert enrichment facility in September 2024. 

While Pyongyang has not conducted a nuclear test since 2017, it has continued expanding its arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles and nuclear weapons. —AP