1036 - Nuclear Weapons 197 - Satellite Images Show New Activity At North Korea Yongbyon Nuclear Research Complex
North Korea has been in the news constantly for months now. They recently conducted a test of what they said was a hydrogen bomb but there has been international skepticism. They have claimed that they have the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit on one of their missiles thought experts have doubts about this. They have been firing test missiles and making belligerent threats. Last week they put out a video that simulated a nuclear strike on Washington, D.C. and said that they would working on a preemptive strike against the United States. Following a round of U.N. sanctions for their nuclear test, China, their main trading partner and international support also imposed trade sanctions. The recent international Nuclear Security Conference that was convened in Washington. D.C. last week featured discussions of what to do about North Korea.
38 North is a website that dispenses detailed information about North Korea and its activities. From their website: "38 North is a website devoted to analysis of North Korea. While it strives to break new ground, the site’s main objective is to bring the best possible analysis to all those who work on North Korea for a living and those who are just interested in what happens there." "To accomplish these objectives, 38 North will harness the experience of long-time observers of North Korea and others who have dealt directly with North Koreans. It will also draw on other experts outside the field who might bring fresh, well-informed insights to those of us who follow North Korea."
38 North has just published a report on "suspicious" activity at the North Korean Yongbyon Radiochemical Laboratory complex based on satellite images take from February 5th to March 12th of this year. They point to what they call "unusual activity" at the site. There are exhaust plumes of steam coming from some buildings at the site that have not been seen in older images of the site. This indicates that they are heating buildings that were not being heated previously. While this does not point to any particular activity, it does suggest that some kind of new work or activity is taking place in those buildings.
The N.K. government recently announced that it intended to refurbish and restart its nuclear facilities including the uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon. If it does so, it can start extracting plutonium for nuclear weapons from spent fuel from its Experimental Light Water Reactor at the site. The satellite images show work being done around the ELWR building. New buildings are being constructed near the Uranium Enrichment Complex but it is not clear what the purpose of the new buildings will be. There is some activity around a smaller reactor at the site but no indication that the reactor is operating at this time.
The South Korean government has said that it is monitoring activities at the Yongbyon complex. Given the N.K. recent actions and belligerent statements, these new developments at the complex are cause for concern.
5 megawatt Nuclear Reactor building at Yongbyon:
