Seoul claims that North Korea is operating multiple uranium enrichment plants and has amassed roughly 2,000 kg of weapons-grade uranium, a move that could dramatically expand its nuclear arsenal.
South Korea’s government has warned that North Korea is significantly expanding its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium, raising fears of an accelerated nuclear weapons program. The Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, cited an assessment that Pyongyang holds around 2,000 kg of enriched uranium “at a purity of 90 percent or higher.”
The amount, if confirmed, would be sufficient for nearly 47 nuclear warheads according to International Atomic Energy Agency estimates. Chung also disclosed that North Korea is operating uranium centrifuges at four sites, including the Yongbyon facility, which was previously reported decommissioned but later reactivated.
Chung stressed that “stopping North Korea’s nuclear development is an urgent matter,” arguing that sanctions alone will not suffice and pointing to the need for a summit between Pyongyang and Washington. The dispute adds to longstanding tensions over North Korea’s opaque weapons programs and stalled diplomacy.
International efforts to curtail Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions have stagnated since 2019, when previous summit talks collapsed without agreement.