(South Korea, 26th) South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young said on the 25th that the South believes North Korea possesses as much as 2 tons of highly enriched uranium.
Highly enriched uranium is the key raw material used in the production of nuclear warheads. On Thursday, Jeong Dong-young made the rare public confirmation that intelligence agencies estimate Pyongyang has as much as 2,000 kilograms of uranium enriched to over 90% purity.
He said: “Even at this very moment, the centrifuges at North Korea’s four facilities are still operating.”
He revealed that it only takes 5 to 6 kilograms of plutonium to make one nuclear bomb, so if 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium were dedicated to plutonium production, it would be enough to manufacture a large quantity of nuclear weapons.
He emphasized that halting North Korea’s nuclear development is imperative, but he believes sanctions are ineffective, and only a summit between the North Korean and U.S. leaders can break the deadlock.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated earlier this week that as long as he can keep his nuclear arsenal, he is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States.
Highly enriched uranium is the key raw material used in the production of nuclear warheads. On Thursday, Jeong Dong-young made the rare public confirmation that intelligence agencies estimate Pyongyang has as much as 2,000 kilograms of uranium enriched to over 90% purity.
He said: “Even at this very moment, the centrifuges at North Korea’s four facilities are still operating.”
He revealed that it only takes 5 to 6 kilograms of plutonium to make one nuclear bomb, so if 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium were dedicated to plutonium production, it would be enough to manufacture a large quantity of nuclear weapons.
He emphasized that halting North Korea’s nuclear development is imperative, but he believes sanctions are ineffective, and only a summit between the North Korean and U.S. leaders can break the deadlock.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated earlier this week that as long as he can keep his nuclear arsenal, he is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States.