IAEA Says North Korea Has Sharply Expanded Its Nuclear Weapons Capacity

Overview

• IAEA Director Rafael Grossi, visiting Seoul on Wednesday, reported a rapid rise in nuclear activity at North Korea’s Yongbyon complex.
• He cited increased operations at a uranium enrichment plant and a nearby light‑water reactor at Yongbyon, the country’s main hub for producing bomb fuel.
• The agency estimates North Korea holds dozens of nuclear warheads, though a ban on IAEA inspections since 2009 limits what it can confirm.
• South Korea’s intelligence service says North Korea runs multiple enrichment sites, including one at Yongbyon, which would boost its output of weapons‑grade material.
• North Korea frames its arsenal as deterrence against the United States and South Korea, a stance that deepens security concerns and the risk of further proliferation.