IAEA warns North Korea boosting nuclear weapons capability amid rising activity at key sites

The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned that North Korea is showing a “very serious increase” in its ability to produce nuclear weapons, citing heightened activity at key facilities and possible expansion of its enrichment infrastructure.

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said the agency’s latest assessments indicate a rapid rise in operations at North Korea’s main nuclear complex in Yongbyon. This includes increased activity at the reactor, the reprocessing unit, and a light-water reactor, all of which are linked to the production of fissile material used in nuclear weapons.

Grossi said the scale and intensity of activity point to a significant expansion in Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons capabilities. The country is believed to already possess several dozen nuclear warheads, with ongoing production potentially adding to its stockpile.

The IAEA has also observed indications of a new facility similar to the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon. While inspectors have not had access to North Korea since 2009, satellite imagery and external analysis suggest that the new facility could substantially increase the country’s enrichment capacity.

Uranium enrichment is a critical step in developing nuclear weapons, and experts say expanding such facilities provides North Korea with an additional pathway to produce weapons-grade material alongside plutonium reprocessing.

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), has continued to advance its nuclear programme despite international sanctions and repeated calls for denuclearisation. It conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and has since maintained that it will not give up its nuclear arsenal.

The latest warning comes amid broader concerns over North Korea’s military developments, including recent missile tests and efforts to strengthen its strategic capabilities.

Diplomatic engagement with the United States and regional powers has largely stalled in recent years, limiting prospects for renewed negotiations.

Grossi noted that without on-ground access, it remains difficult to precisely quantify North Korea’s production levels. However, he stressed that the observable activity and infrastructure developments indicate a clear and ongoing expansion of its nuclear programme.

The developments are expected to heighten security concerns in the region, particularly for South Korea and Japan, as well as the wider international community monitoring nuclear proliferation risks.