Kim Jong Un has vowed an "exponential" increase in North Korea's nuclear capabilities after visiting a newly inaugurated nuclear materials production factory, state media reported Thursday.
The North Korean leader also said weapons-grade material output more than doubled over the past five years, signaling Pyongyang's intent to expand its arsenal at pace.
What did Kim Jong Un say about North Korea's nuclear forces?
Kim pledged to implement an "ambitious future plan" to strengthen North Korea's nuclear forces at an exponential rate. He made the remarks during a visit to a newly inaugurated nuclear materials production factory reported by state-run Korean Central News Agency. The announcement confirms Pyongyang's accelerating push to expand both the scale and capacity of its nuclear program.
Where is North Korea's new nuclear facility located?
North Korea did not disclose the location of the factory Kim visited, but analysts said it was likely the newly completed uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon.
The country is believed to operate enrichment facilities at three sites: Yongbyon, Kangson and Kusong. Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies, said a Yongbyon location would also carry a propaganda dimension.
With Iran's enriched uranium stockpile central to ongoing US-Iran nuclear negotiations, North Korea appears to be deliberately showcasing its expanding capabilities to signal that denuclearization is not on the table with Washington, Yang added.
Why is North Korea ramping up nuclear materials production?
North Korea has already unveiled a large number of tactical nuclear weapons, creating growing demand for warheads to deploy on tactical missiles, according to Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
The country has also conducted eight missile tests this year. Analysts say the pace may reflect Pyongyang's effort to cement its nuclear status as international norms around nonproliferation continue to erode.
Rejecting pressure from the United States, North Korea insists its nuclear path is "irreversible" and that it will not surrender its arsenal.
Pyongyang withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1993 and has since conducted six nuclear tests, drawing multiple rounds of United Nations sanctions. The country is currently believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads.
