North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Production in UN Spotlight
Amid the turmoil of the US-Israel war against Iran, North Korea (DPRK) is secretly developing its nuclear weapons production capabilities. The UN has even acknowledged that North Korea’s ability to produce nuclear weapons is advancing rapidly.
This was stated by the Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi. The head of the UN nuclear body said there is a “very serious increase” in North Korea’s capacity to produce nuclear weapons.
This diplomatically isolated country is believed to be operating several facilities for uranium enrichment, a key step in manufacturing nuclear warheads, according to South Korean intelligence.
Among them is the reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear site, which Pyongyang reportedly deactivated after negotiations but reactivated in 2021.
“In our periodic assessments, we can confirm a rapid increase in operations at the Yongbyon reactor,” Grossi said at a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
The IAEA has also observed increased operations at the Yongbyon reprocessing unit and light-water reactor, as well as the activation of other facilities, Grossi said, as reported by AFP news agency.
“All of this indicates a very serious increase in the DPRK’s capabilities in nuclear weapons production, estimated to reach several dozen warheads,” he said, referring to North Korea by its official acronym.
North Korea, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, is under various UN sanctions due to its prohibited weapons programme. North Korea has stated that it will never relinquish its nuclear weapons.
When asked if Russia is assisting North Korea’s nuclear development, Grossi said the IAEA has not seen “anything specific in that regard”.
It is known that North Korea has sent ground troops and artillery shells to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to observers, Pyongyang receives military technology assistance from Moscow in return.
North Korea Tests Cruise Missiles
In its latest military exercise, North Korea conducted tests of cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles launched from a North Korean warship. The exercise was directly overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
A report from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), as cited by AFP, on Tuesday (14/4), stated that the weapons test was held on Sunday (12/4) local time, and is the latest in a series of recent missile launches by the nuclear-armed state.
Two strategic cruise missiles, KCNA reported, each flew for more than two hours during the test. Meanwhile, the anti-ship missile also tested flew for 33 minutes, according to KCNA.
KCNA reported that the missiles flew “along the designated flight paths over the skies above the West Sea of Korea and struck the targets with ultra-precision accuracy”. The West Sea of Korea is Pyongyang’s name for the Yellow Sea.
The missile test was conducted from Choe Hyon, one of two 5,000-tonne destroyers in North Korea’s arsenal. Both Pyongyang warships were launched last year as Kim Jong Un sought to enhance his country’s naval capabilities.
A photo released by KCNA shows a missile in its initial flight phase after launch from the warship, with an orange flame ignited from the tail section.
KCNA said that Kim Jong Un was also briefed on the weapon system planning for two other destroyers under construction, now referred to as “No 3 and No 4”.
Kim Jong Un reportedly “expressed great satisfaction that the strategic action readiness of our army has been strengthened”. He, KCNA stated, reaffirmed that strengthening North Korea’s nuclear deterrence is the “most important priority task”.