North Korea showing ‘serious increase’ in ability to make nuclear weapons, IAEA says– www.euronews.com

North Korea is showing a “very serious increase” in its ability to produce atomic weapons, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said during a visit to Seoul on Wednesday.

“In our periodic assessments, we have been able to confirm that there’s a rapid increase in the operations” of the Yongbyon reactor, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said in Seoul, where he met South Korea’s foreign minister.

The agency also observed a rise in operations at Yongbyon’s reprocessing unit and light-water reactor, as well as the activation of other facilities, Grossi told reporters.

“All that points to a very serious increase in the capabilities of (the) DPRK in the area of nuclear weapons production, which is estimated at a few dozen warheads,” he said, referring to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name.