North Korea unveils new weapons-grade uranium facility, vows exponential nuclear buildup

North Korea on Thursday unveiled a new facility to produce weapons-grade uranium for nuclear bombs, as leader Kim Jong Un pledged to bolster the country's nuclear forces "at an exponential rate."

The country's state-run news agency KCNA said the plant has "more sophisticated technology" but didn't provide further details. It is unclear how long the plant has been operating or where it is located.

Kim's fight against North Korea's 'most ferocious enemies'

KCNA published images of what appeared to be a centrifuge hall, which indicates the facility is likely used to enrich weapons-grade uranium.

The agency also quoted Kim speaking about the growing urgency of bolstering nuclear weapons as a war deterrent because of confrontations with "the most ferocious enemies."

The North Korean leader said production capacity for weapons-grade uranium had more than doubled over the past five years.

After a meeting with other top officials at the plant, Kim said that he "confirmed the order of priority for implementing the ambitious future plan designed to beef up our state's nuclear forces at an exponential rate," KCNA said.

Building a nuclear force

Kim's words and the nuclear fuel plant are both in line with his plan to arm the nation with an expansive nuclear force to counter the US and South Korea.

In March, soon after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Kim accused Washington of "global terrorism and aggression."

The war reinforced North Korea's long-standing view that it needs a nuclear arsenal to be able to defend itself against what it sees as its two largest enemies, South Korea and the US.

North Korea has been subject to various international sanctions over its nuclear weapons development and use of ballistic missile technology. But Pyongyang has repeatedly flouted the restrictions.

In September 2024, North Korea revealed its first covert uranium-enrichment plant. Kim delivered a similar speech then, including a call for "exponentially" expanding the country's nuclear arsenal.

In April, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told reporters that his agency had confirmed "a rapid increase” in activities at nuclear facilities in North Korea.

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Edited by: Karl Sexton