38 North “Continues Operation of Uranium Enrichment Plant in Yongbyon Nuclear Complex”

It was discovered that North Korea was operating a uranium enrichment plant all winter in the Yongbyon nuclear facility complex, a representative nuclear facility. It appears to be consistent with the US intelligence agency’s judgment that North Korea did not stop nuclear activities even during diplomatic dialogues between North Korea during the Donald Trump administration.

Three others, including nuclear expert Frank Fabian and satellite image analysis expert Jack Ryu, posted a photo of commercial satellites at the Yongbyon Nuclear Complex from January to 11 of this year in an article posted on the North Korean media outlet of the United States on the 19th (local time) As a result of the analysis, he argued that he concluded this way.

They said that the reactor in the Yongbyon Nuclear Complex remains inactive, but the uranium enrichment plant (UEP) appears to have been in operation throughout the winter. In the case of UEP operation, it is difficult to detect with only satellite images, but it is possible to infer the operation situation through periodic events in the surrounding area.

In satellite imagery on the 9th of last month, two special railcars arrived at the railroad transit station on the east side of the UEP complex, and another railroad car was found running about 1.3km northwest. On the 24th of the same month, it was joined by other vehicles at the transit station, and on the 30th, it was observed that all railroad cars were together. These three rail cars were found leaving the UEP area on the 11th of this month and departing from Yongbyon.

Experts explained that the special railroad car was a modified flat wagon carrying four to five cylindrical containers. It was also reported that there was a pattern of departure after coming to the UEP East Railway Transit Station 2 or 3 times a year, staying for about 4 weeks, transferring the contents estimated to be chemical reagents.

In addition to the rail car, a liquid nitrogen tanker trailer truck was also observed in the photos on January 30 and February 11.

On the other hand, in the radiochemistry laboratory, which is a reprocessing plant, almost no activity was observed except that one or two vehicles were visible and snow was removed. In addition, they analyzed that the 5 megawatt (5 MWe) reactor in the nuclear park continued to be observed with vehicles around it, but did not reveal any signs that operation had resumed. The experimental light water reactor (ELWR) also had no remarkable activity.

Earlier, in June 2008, North Korea detonated the cooling tower of the Yongbyon 5MW nuclear reactor, saying that it is conducting nuclear disabling work. However, in April 2013, he said, “We will take measures to reorganize and restart the 5MW graphite reduction reactor (nuclear reactor) with all nuclear facilities in Yongbyon including the uranium enrichment plant,” suggesting that the nuclear facilities will be restarted.

Reporter Dayoung Kim [email protected]