Kim Orders Nuclear Output Surge During Plant Visit

Kim Jong Un has signaled that North Korea has no intention of curbing its nuclear program, ordering a sharp increase in production during a visit to a newly opened nuclear material facility.

North Korean state media said the country’s capacity to produce material for nuclear weapons had more than doubled in five years. Kim defended the expansion by citing growing security threats and the need to strengthen the country’s deterrent.

During the visit, he called for North Korea’s nuclear forces to expand at an “exponential rate”.

Analysts said the release of footage from the facility may also have been aimed at foreign governments, sending a message that North Korea’s denuclearization is not a realistic prospect.

Some experts have linked the move to possible negotiations with China or wider regional security developments. Estimates suggest Pyongyang has around 50 nuclear warheads, although North Korea has never published official figures.

(reuters, mja)