North Korea Reportedly Reopens Yongbyon Site As Country Improves Nuclear Weapons ‘In Quality And Quantity’
Korean Central News Agency of DPRK reports on Tuesday that the Yongbyon nuclear site is back "in full operation" as North Korea improves its nuclear weapons in terms of "quality and quantity".
Mirror reports on Tuesday that Yongbyon complex, which was shut down in 2007, is now operational as North Korea reopens the reactor after tension between the two Koreas emerged last month.
Following the emerging tension between the North and South in August, the former announced that they are "fully ready for war." Moreover, DPRK warned to take military action if the South will not stop broadcasting its anti-Pyongyang propaganda.
Meanwhile, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed in July 2007 that DPRK stopped the operation of the nuclear complex.
"Our inspectors are there. They verified the shutting down of the reactor," says IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei. "It's a step in the right direction."
Aside from the pronouncement of the reopening of the nuclear complex, the North reportedly warned about the possibility of attacking the United States with "nuclear weapons any time."
A western expert describes the pronouncement as "no more than morale-boosting exercise for the regime," The Guardian forecasts on Tuesday.
On the other hand, Institute for Science and International Security President David Albright says they are seeking to find what is going on in the nuclear complex.
"There is heat coming from the enrichment plant, but that's not direct evidence that it is functioning," says Albright. "They could just have the heat on."
He goes on, "We will have to wait to see if there are signs of normal operation. We could see water being discharged and steam coming off the turbine."
Albright also adds that although the reactor is capable of producing three to four kilograms of plutonium annually, signs show that "the North Koreans had not been able to get the reactor to work at full capacity."