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A top South Korean official has revealed that North Korea increased its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium.
Getting into it: According to Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, North Korea is now believed to possess up to 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU), a material enriched to over 90% and suitable for nuclear weapons. To put it simply, this amount of uranium is enough to build anywhere from 40 to 100 nuclear bombs, depending on how efficiently it’s used. Experts say that as little as 20 to 42 kilograms of HEU is needed for a single nuclear warhead, meaning North Korea has amassed a surplus. South Korea also revealed that the country is actively operating four uranium enrichment sites, including the once-decommissioned Yongbyon facility, which was quietly reactivated in 2021.
In addition to the growing uranium stockpile, South Korean officials disclosed that North Korea is nearing completion of a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system capable of delivering a nuclear strike to the continental United States. President Lee Jae Myung, citing military intelligence, said Pyongyang is in the final phase of ICBM development and is now focused solely on overcoming the last technical hurdle: atmospheric re-entry (the ability of a warhead to survive extreme heat and pressure as it returns from space to its target).
These revelations come at a time when President Lee is attempting to mend ties with North Korea through a more conciliatory, engagement-focused approach, in stark contrast to his predecessor’s hardline stance. Lee has publicly stated that he won’t seek regime change in the North and wants to focus on dialogue, economic cooperation, and gradual denuclearization. However, his efforts have so far been rejected by Pyongyang, with Kim showing no interest in the proposals.
Despite this, North Korea recently left the door open to future talks with the United States, but only under one condition: that the US drops its demand that North Korea completely abandon its nuclear weapons. In a recent speech, Kim said he saw no problem negotiating with the US again if it recognizes his country’s nuclear status. He also expressed fondness for former President Donald Trump, recalling their past meetings and saying he would be open to seeing him again.
