North Korea's uranium enrichment capacity could soon increase by 75% after a new plant reaches full production, a clear indication that leader Kim Jong Un intends to expand his nuclear arsenal despite international pressure.
The new facility at Yongbyon is expected to house more than 9,000 centrifuges, capable of producing about 160 kilograms of highly enriched uranium per year, according to the British nonprofit Vertic, which helps governments implement and verify international arms control agreements.
Until now, North Korea had the capacity to produce about 215 kilograms of highly enriched uranium per year.
“North Korea probably already has all the material it needs for a medium-sized nuclear arsenal. Now it appears to be simply increasing the numbers,” said Grant Christopher, one of the authors of the Vertic analysis.
"We see no evidence that they will stop anytime soon."
According to him, North Korea's total reserves of highly enriched uranium are estimated at around 2,100 kilograms, roughly one-tenth of the military reserves of the United Kingdom or France.
The new facility will be North Korea's largest publicly known uranium enrichment center when completed. The massive expansion shows that Kim Jong Un plans to significantly expand his nuclear program despite pressure from major powers such as the United States and China.
While China has pressured Pyongyang for years to stop developing nuclear weapons, Beijing has recently appeared to back down from those demands, at least publicly. During his visit to Pyongyang this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping made no mention of nuclear disarmament.
Kim Jong Un's expansion of his nuclear arsenal also shows that he is unlikely to pursue a deal with other powers, particularly the US, which has offered sanctions relief in exchange for curbing his nuclear program.
According to a new estimate by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), North Korea currently possesses about 60 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material to produce at least 90 more. In 2025, the number of nuclear warheads was estimated at about 50.
Kim Jong Un has been openly flaunting the latest expansion of his nuclear program. Last week he inspected a new uranium enrichment plant, located at the heart of the main Yongbyon nuclear complex, which is larger than any other facility North Korea has previously made public.
In images released by state media, Kim is seen walking between rows of metal centrifuges and promising "bigger plans" for the country's nuclear program. He congratulated scientists for more than doubling the production capacity of "military-grade nuclear material."
"This nuclear potential we have now is unimaginable," Kim declared.
Vertic based its estimates on historical data on similar centrifuges, satellite imagery to determine the building's dimensions, and other analytical models.
According to Jaewoo Shin, co-author of the report and senior analyst at the Open Nuclear Network, the new facility was built in about 18 months, while satellite images show that work began in late 2024.
"It is significant that this facility was placed in the center of Yongbyon and not deep in the mountains, away from the attention of the international community," he said.
“It was built to be discovered.”
According to Hailey Wingo, another co-author of the analysis, Kim Jong Un's regime may be expanding its uranium enrichment capacity to supply the future nuclear submarine that North Korea is developing.
Just seven years ago, during nuclear talks with President Donald Trump in Hanoi, North Korea had offered to dismantle the Yongbyon complex in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Trump wanted a broader deal that included the regime's undeclared nuclear facilities, and the talks collapsed.
Today, Yongbyon remains at the heart of Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. In addition to uranium enrichment, it has seen increased activity at a 5-megawatt reactor, a reprocessing unit, and a relatively new light-water reactor.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, has described this development as a "very serious increase" in North Korea's nuclear capabilities.
Pyongyang does not release data on uranium production, targets or timelines. However, it has previously admitted to US officials that it is enriching uranium at Yongbyon. In 2024, North Korean state media also released photos of Kim Jong Un visiting another nuclear facility at a different location, according to the Associated Press. WSJ.
