The International Atomic Energy Agency has identified a newly constructed uranium enrichment facility at North Korea’s main Yongbyon nuclear complex, raising fresh concerns about Pyongyang’s expanding ability to produce material that could be used in its nuclear weapons programme. According to the IAEA’s latest assessment, satellite imagery and photographs released by North Korean state media show a new two-storey building that appears to be Yongbyon’s second uranium enrichment facility. Images taken during construction were compared with photographs from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to the site in June, providing evidence that gas centrifuge cascades have been installed on both floors of the building. The facility could accommodate up to 28 centrifuge cascades, according to the agency. The development comes alongside signs of further expansion at the Kangson uranium enrichment site near Pyongyang. The IAEA reported that an expanded annex, constructed in 2024, appears to have begun operating in January, suggesting that North Korea is increasing its enrichment infrastructure at more than one location. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the continued operation and expansion of enrichment facilities at Yongbyon and Kangson, together with indications of increased production of weapons-grade nuclear material, is a serious concern. The agency said the developments violate relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. The latest assessment is particularly significant because IAEA inspectors have not been present inside North Korea since 2009, leaving the agency dependent largely on satellite imagery and open-source information to track changes in the country’s nuclear facilities. As a result, the precise scale and operational status of some parts of North Korea’s nuclear programme cannot be independently verified on the ground. The new Yongbyon facility nevertheless adds to a growing body of evidence that Pyongyang continues to expand its capacity to produce enriched uranium despite international sanctions and restrictions. North Korea has repeatedly rejected the IAEA’s authority and has maintained that its status as a nuclear weapons state is irreversible. The latest findings are therefore likely to intensify international concerns over the future direction of North Korea’s nuclear programme and its potential impact on security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
New uranium enrichment facility detected in Yongbyon, IAEA concerns over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities
