38 North: "North Korea's Yongbyon Nuclear Facility Continues Operation... No Evidence of Nuclear Fuel Rod Transfer"

▲Yongbyon Nuclear Facility Satellite Image [Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] According to 38 North, a U.S.-based North Korea specialist media outlet, on the 28th (local time), there are signs that the Yongbyon nuclear facility complex in North Korea continues to operate, but there is no evidence that fuel rods necessary for extracting nuclear material have been moved.

According to 38 North, this analysis was made based on commercial satellite images taken on the 22nd of the Yongbyon nuclear facility. 38 North reported that this shows continued activity at the radiochemical laboratory within the Yongbyon nuclear facility and the thermal power plant supporting this laboratory.

This power plant has been operating continuously since early March, but the smoke plume appeared somewhat reduced in the most recent satellite images.

However, 38 North stated that there is no clear evidence that spent fuel rods have been moved from the storage facility next to the 5-megawatt (MW) reactor to extract plutonium needed for nuclear weapons production.

Furthermore, the detection of steam generation and thermal infrared emissions alone is insufficient to definitively conclude that new reprocessing work is underway or that this activity is related to handling radioactive waste generated from previous operations.

New activity was also observed at the experimental light water reactor, which 38 North believes is related to maintenance and repair.

There is minor activity at the uranium enrichment plant, but no identifiable changes in the coolers were observed. Additionally, three special rail vehicles appeared again at the city’s railway station, but it is unknown what activities they are conducting related to the uranium enrichment plant.

Construction work on an annex building of one of the large experimental buildings in the area housing the research and administrative headquarters was also observed to be underway.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.