North Korea may soon have enough plutonium to make a nuclear bomb
- 8 years ago
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA — A month after conducting their fourth nuclear test and just days after launching a long-range rocket, North Korea may now be looking to expand their plutonium production.
In an annual assessment of threats to the United States, U.S. Intelligence chief James Clapper wrote that Pyongyang is believed to have followed through on an earlier announcement to restart the plutonium production reactor in Yongbyon.
The nuclear facility had resumed normal operations last September, after being closed in 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid deal.
The reactor has operated long enough that Pyongyang could obtain plutonium from its spent fuel within weeks or months.
Experts believe the Yongbyon reactor can produce about 4 kg of the radioactive material per year, which is enough to fuel a nuclear bomb, reported the BBC.
North Korea is also believed to be developing an intercontinental long-range ballistic missile system that could potentially s
In an annual assessment of threats to the United States, U.S. Intelligence chief James Clapper wrote that Pyongyang is believed to have followed through on an earlier announcement to restart the plutonium production reactor in Yongbyon.
The nuclear facility had resumed normal operations last September, after being closed in 2007 as part of a disarmament-for-aid deal.
The reactor has operated long enough that Pyongyang could obtain plutonium from its spent fuel within weeks or months.
Experts believe the Yongbyon reactor can produce about 4 kg of the radioactive material per year, which is enough to fuel a nuclear bomb, reported the BBC.
North Korea is also believed to be developing an intercontinental long-range ballistic missile system that could potentially s