By Kim Hyo-jin
North Korea is believed to be operating secret nuclear facilities in addition to Yongbyon Nuclear Complex, according to the U.S. State Department.
There is a “clear likelihood” that Pyongyang is operating unreported nuclear facilities, the department said in its nonproliferation and disarmament report submitted to the Assembly on Saturday.
The report said that Pyongyang resumed producing weapons-grade plutonium by restarting its five-megawatt graphite-moderated reactor, which was built in 2013.
It is first time that the U.S administration has disclosed information about North Korea’s additional nuclear facilities.
The Report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments is published annually to monitor nuclear-related activities in relevant countries and assess their compliance with the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. North Korea joined the treaty in 1985.
The State Department pointed out that last year’s nuclear developments in North Korea showed that the country had no will to adhere to obligations undertaken in the 9.19 Joint Statement, and the United Nation Security Council resolutions.
Citing a light water reactor being built at the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, the report said, “If constructed, the facility will provide a justification to possess uranium enrichment technology that could potentially be used to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons.”
The State Department said, “Pyongyang is believed to be considering the use of biological weapons as a means to attack other nations, which goes against the Biological Weapons Convention.”
It further assessed that the reclusive nation had developed its capacity to produce biological weapons and had built infrastructure to support a biological weapons program.