North Korea releases images of suspected enriched uranium facility for first time

North Korea released for the first time on Friday, September 13, images presented as those of its uranium enrichment facilities, on the occasion of a visit by Kim Jong-un. North Korean dictator called for a strengthening of the country’s nuclear capabilities.

Pyongyang, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and is under numerous international sanctions over its banned weapons programs, has never publicly shown the facilities, which produce highly enriched uranium needed to make nuclear warheads.

Kim Jong-un has visited a production base for military nuclear materials, the official KCNA news agency reported, without specifying where the facilities are located or when the visit took place. The North Korean dictator is shown inspecting rows of centrifuges at high speed to produce enriched uranium.

North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs are subject to UN sanctions, but the country ignores them, thanks in part to the support of its allies Russia and China. “This is a flagrant violation of several United Nations Security Council resolutions.”reacted South Korea after the publication of these images.