Nord Korea

 

North Korea shows ‘serious increase’ in nuclear enrichment capacity, watchdog warns

By 

Julie Masson

Stars and Stripes • April 17, 2026

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tours a uranium enrichment facility in this photo issued by the state-run Korean Central News Agency in September 2024. (KCNA)

A recent surge in nuclear facility activity suggests North Korea may be significantly advancing its ability to produce nuclear weapons, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters in Seoul on Wednesday that the uptick in Pyongyang’s operations, including at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, “point to a very serious increase” in its weapons development capacity.