CNN, "Activity Detected at North Korea's Senior Nuclear Facility" (Comprehensive)

Suspicious Facility for Nuclear Warhead Production
Active Vehicle Movements and More

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 8th (local time), the U.S. CNN network reported that activity was detected at a facility suspected of being used to manufacture nuclear warheads in North Korea, based on recent private satellite images obtained.

Satellite image of North Korea's Wolori nuclear facility obtained by CNN (Photo capture=CNN website)

The photos obtained by CNN were taken by the private satellite company Planet Labs and analyzed by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

The facility captured in the images is located in Wonro-ri, Daedonggang District, Pyongyang. CNN reported that this facility had not been previously disclosed and is believed by experts to be related to nuclear warhead manufacturing. CNN claimed that this facility appears to be linked to North Korea's nuclear program.

Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, explained, "This facility shows all the signs that it can be considered a nuclear facility." He added, "The activity of cars, trucks, and containers indicates that this plant is operating very actively. The facility has not slowed down its operation and is still producing nuclear weapons."

CNN introduced that in 2015, researchers from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies identified this facility but did not disclose it externally because they could not specify its role within North Korea's nuclear program.

The CNN report came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of holding a fourth North Korea-U.S. summit with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, is also visiting South Korea.