North Korea has publicly revealed its uranium enrichment facility for the first time.
On September 13, Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s state newspaper, reported that Kim Jong-un had conducted an on-site inspection of the Nuclear Weapons Research Institute and the weapons-grade nuclear material production facility, releasing related photos.
During his visit, Kim remarked, “This place fills me with strength just by looking at it,” and said, “To exponentially increase our defensive nuclear arsenal as part of our nuclear force-building strategy, we must not become complacent with our current achievements.”
He said, “We need to significantly increase the number of centrifuges, enhance their functionality, and proceed with the introduction of new centrifuges that are in the final stages of development to strengthen the foundation for weapons-grade nuclear material production.”
Kim also commented on external threats, stating, “The nuclear threat maneuvers orchestrated by the United States and its followers against the Republic [North Korea] are becoming more blatant and are crossing dangerous limits.”
He emphasized, “Given the security environment facing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, along with the unique challenges and future threats that require us to permanently counter and confront the U.S., we must continue to expand and strengthen our self-defense capabilities centered around nuclear power and our preemptive strike capabilities.”
He concluded by stressing, “I reiterate that we must accelerate progress with confidence in our efforts to maintain a thorough readiness posture for our nuclear forces and continuously elevate our state of preparedness.”
BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
