On Wednesday, Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, inspected a new nuclear facility, reaffirming his commitment to bolstering the country’s nuclear arsenal.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Thursday that Kim toured a newly operational nuclear material production plant, stating that he examined new production processes incorporating more advanced technology and reviewed operational indicators and production forecasts.
The disclosed facility is believed to be a uranium enrichment site. North Korea had previously unveiled similar facilities in September 2024 and January 2025.
The newspaper also noted that during this visit, Kim convened a crucial meeting on enhancing nuclear capabilities and made a significant decision to ramp up nuclear weapons production.
Kim declared that today, it updated critical figures in our nuclear activities and addressed a series of vital issues, adding that it thoroughly evaluated tactical and strategic requirements in building the nuclear deterrent, and based on that, it made highly responsible and momentous decisions.
He further asserted that it has established the sequence and guarantees for executing the extensive plans to exponentially strengthen national nuclear capabilities. This represents an extraordinary leap forward that cannot be overstated, marking a historic milestone in advancing the nuclear capabilities.
The newspaper reported that Kim highly commended the precise implementation of decisions made during recent plenary sessions of the Party Central Committee concerning nuclear material production.
Kim stated that by resolving critical issues in achieving self-reliance in nuclear material production, the team of nuclear experts has established a robust foundation to enhance the efficiency of all elements in the production process and further strengthen the capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear materials.
He continued that over the past five years of strengthening the nuclear capabilities, the ability to produce weapons-grade nuclear materials has more than doubled, emphasizing that the Party’s directive to enhance nuclear capabilities is being meticulously implemented through the advanced technological prowess achieved by the nuclear science research teams.
Kim also mentioned that during the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party in February, they resolved to increase nuclear weapons stockpiles, stating that expanding and fortifying the national nuclear capabilities, which are central to the war deterrence and execution strategies, is an unwavering political and military stance it must maintain, as well as a solemn obligation.
In the photos released by Rodong Sinmun from Kim’s site visit, analysts identified Kang Kyung-ho, the deputy director of the nuclear weapons research institute, who had previously briefed global media during the dismantling of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in May 2018. The nuclear weapons research institute is believed to be an organization under the Defense Science Institute responsible for warhead development.
Notably absent from the report was Hong Seung-moo, the first deputy minister of the Party’s military industry department, who had been present during previous inspections of nuclear facilities in 2024 and 2025. Hong, considered a key figure in North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, was not included in the recently announced Party Central Committee leadership roster, suggesting a generational shift among senior officials involved in nuclear material production.
Rodong Sinmun obscured the faces of several individuals accompanying Kim in the photos, likely to prevent external analysis of the new nuclear facility’s location, personnel, and organizational structure. North Korea’s nuclear and missile-related facilities have often been tracked through satellite imagery, public videos, and analyses of accompanying officials.
Intelligence agencies and experts point to key uranium enrichment facilities located in Yongbyon, North Pyongan Province, Nampo, and Kusong. Analysts speculate that the new factory disclosed by North Korea is likely situated near these major enrichment sites.
A Unification Ministry official assessed that Kim’s visit to the nuclear material production plant reaffirms their commitment to continuously strengthening their nuclear capabilities while underscoring their self-proclaimed status as a nuclear power. The official added that they would closely monitor the new facility’s location in coordination with relevant agencies.
