A report by South Korea’s KBS says North Korea has expanded uranium production at a major facility. Commercial satellite imagery shows significant new construction at the country’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon.

Experts say a large annex is being built next to the existing uranium enrichment plant. The expansion could indicate that Pyongyang is increasing its capacity to produce highly enriched uranium, which can be used in nuclear weapons. Unlike plutonium facilities, uranium enrichment sites can be easier to conceal and expand. The imagery also suggests the existing plant may already be operating at full capacity.

North Korea is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and its facilities are not subject to routine International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards inspections.

Many analysts argue that North Korea’s withdrawal from the NPT and development of a nuclear arsenal have strengthened its deterrent and it was a wise decision. They point to the joint US–Israeli attack on Iran as evidence that states without nuclear weapons may be more vulnerable to military action. Reports indicate that, following the US attack on Iran, many Iranians now support the development of nuclear warheads.