Friday, June 5, 2026 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a newly developed nuclear materials production facility and announced plans to significantly increase the country’s nuclear weapons production, according to state media.
Kim visited the plant on Wednesday and said North Korea would
“beef up our state’s nuclear forces at an exponential rate,” as reported by the
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
He stated that the country has more than doubled its capacity
to produce weapons-grade nuclear material over the past five years, adding that
the new facility would further strengthen its nuclear deterrent capability.
The expansion effort is part of a broader five-year plan
initiated after denuclearization talks with the United States collapsed,
including high-profile meetings between Kim and US President Donald Trump
during Trump’s first term.
KCNA reports that the new facility features advanced
technology and that Kim walked through areas containing centrifuges used for
uranium enrichment. The report did not disclose the plant’s exact location.
North Korea is already believed to possess enough nuclear
material for up to 90 warheads and to have assembled around 50, according to a
Congressional Research Service assessment. The International Atomic Energy
Agency has also reported continued expansion of enrichment activities,
including new construction at Yongbyon that may mirror infrastructure seen at
other known facilities.
US intelligence officials have previously warned that North
Korea is developing additional enrichment capacity and expanding its nuclear
infrastructure, including possible new sites beyond Yongbyon.
Analysts say the latest inspection signals a shift from
experimental development toward large-scale production, with greater
involvement from military and weapons institutions alongside nuclear
scientists.
North Korea has continued missile testing in recent years,
including intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United
States, according to US intelligence assessment
Kim praised nuclear scientists for advancing the country’s strategic goals and described North Korea’s nuclear capability as “inconceivable,” reinforcing Pyongyang’s commitment to expanding its deterrent.
The development comes amid broader global concern over rising nuclear stockpiles among nuclear-armed states worldwide, with international monitoring groups reporting continued
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