IAEA Secretary General: "North Korea is advancing its nuclear program at full speed, including uranium enrichment"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyungsoo] Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that North Korea is "fully committed" to its nuclear program.

At the 65th IAEA General Conference held on the 20th, Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized, "Work on plutonium separation, uranium enrichment, and other activities in North Korea is proceeding at full speed."

Earlier, on the 13th, Grossi pointed out at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting that signs of the Yongbyon nuclear facility reactor restarting are a serious issue, and he also revealed indications of the uranium enrichment plant resuming operations.

Noting signs of activity at North Korean nuclear facilities, he expressed concern, saying, "The continuation of North Korea's nuclear program is a clear violation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, which is very regrettable."

In a report published last month, the IAEA disclosed that regarding the 5MW reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear facility, "Since early July 2021, there have been indications consistent with reactor operation, including the discharge of cooling water."

The 5MW reactor, a key facility related to North Korea's nuclear weapons production, produces spent fuel rods after operation, which, when reprocessed, extract plutonium, the raw material for nuclear weapons.

The IAEA also reported that from mid-February to early July this year, the Radiochemical Laboratory, a spent fuel reprocessing facility near the 5MW reactor, showed signs of operation.