"North Korea's Elders Produce Nuclear Warheads"... "US Authorities Have Also Already Identified"

CNN, Middlebury Institute of International Studies Cited
Institute: "Clear Signs of Nuclear Warhead Production"
Ankit Panda, Senior Researcher at the Federation of American Scientists, Claims "US Intelligence Agencies Have Already Identified It"

The area near the North Korean Wonro-ri nuclear warhead manufacturing facility identified by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies based on satellite images.

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The US CNN broadcast reported on the 8th (local time) that activities suspected to be used for manufacturing nuclear warheads were detected near Pyongyang, North Korea. CNN cited images captured by the private satellite company 'Planet Labs' and an analysis report from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies based on these images.

The facility captured in the photo is located in Wonro-ri, Mangyongdae District, Pyongyang. Although this area was not previously reported to have nuclear facilities, experts have long suspected it to be related to nuclear warhead manufacturing, CNN reported.

The East Asia Nonproliferation Program of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies also disclosed this information on its website. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program, explained, "Unlike the Yongbyon nuclear facility, since a nuclear facility was detected in Gangseon near Pyongyang in 2018, we have expected and inspected for additional nuclear facilities near Pyongyang over the past two years and found several suspicious sites." Among these, he identified the Wonro-ri facility as a representative nuclear site.

Director Lewis claimed, "This facility has all the signs that can be considered a nuclear facility." Considering the cars, trucks, and containers around the facility captured in the satellite images, it is believed to be currently operating very actively. A monument commemorating a leadership visit and underground facilities were observed here, and high-rise residential buildings for researchers were also identified nearby.

He added that the strict security also indicates that this facility is related to nuclear activities. Lewis evaluated, "Even during the North Korea-US denuclearization negotiations, this facility did not slow down its operation and is still producing nuclear weapons." The existence of the Wonro-ri facility was first identified in 2015, but at that time, it was not possible to confirm whether it was a nuclear-related facility, so it was not publicized, Lewis added.

Ankit Panda, a senior researcher at the Federation of American Scientists and a North Korea expert, shared the same opinion. In his upcoming book 'Kim Jong-un and the Bomb,' scheduled for publication next month, he mentioned, "US intelligence agencies estimate that the Wonro-ri facility is related to nuclear warhead manufacturing." He also asserted on his Twitter that it is certain North Korea is making nuclear warheads at Wonro-ri.

Regarding this, CNN pointed out that the basis for US President Donald Trump's claim that North Korea's nuclear threat no longer exists has weakened. President Trump also stated a day earlier that he might hold a fourth North Korea-US summit with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.