South Korea warns that North Korea is significantly increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium, highlighting the urgent need to halt its nuclear advancements.
Published On 25 Sep 2025
Recent intelligence from South Korea suggests that North Korea is amassing significant quantities of weapons-grade uranium, emphasizing the need for urgent intervention to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions.
Seoul’s Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, revealed on Thursday that North Korea reportedly holds around 2,000 kg (approximately 4,400 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, boasting a purity level exceeding 90%.
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If this information is validated, it would reflect a notable escalation in North Korea’s nuclear material reserves.
Chung further noted that intelligence assessments indicate North Korea operates four uranium enrichment facilities.
“At this moment, North Korea is actively using centrifuges across all four sites,” he informed journalists, specifically mentioning the Yongbyon facility, which was claimed to be decommissioned after negotiations but was reactivated in 2021.
Foreign analysts speculate that North Korea has developed additional enrichment operations, as leader Kim Jong Un intensifies efforts to bolster his nuclear stockpile.
According to South Korea’s defense ministry, North Korea has long been known to possess a considerable amount of highly enriched uranium, critical for assembling nuclear warheads.
The enrichment level must be raised to over 90% to create the weapons-grade concentration necessary for a nuclear reaction to occur.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that 42 kg (92.6 pounds) of highly enriched uranium is required for a single nuclear weapon; thus, the 2,000 kg in possession of North Korea could theoretically produce approximately 47 nuclear weapons.
Chung asserted, “The cessation of North Korea’s nuclear development is a pressing issue,” adding that sanctions have proven ineffective and advocating for a summit between Pyongyang and Washington as the sole viable path forward.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve North Korea’s nuclear threat have been stagnant since 2019, following unsuccessful high-level discussions between Kim and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Recently, Kim expressed a willingness to engage in talks with the U.S. on the condition that the demand for the denuclearization of North Korea is not a precondition.
Since its inaugural nuclear test in 2006, North Korea has faced extensive United Nations sanctions due to its controversial weapons programs, and it has never disclosed specifics about its uranium enrichment capabilities.
Newly inaugurated South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, elected in June 2025, has indicated a more conciliatory approach toward North Korea compared to his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol, emphasizing dialogue over regime change.
Chung criticized the previous government’s stance of labeling Pyongyang as the “main enemy” and insisting on denuclearization first, stating it allowed North Korea’s nuclear capabilities to grow unchecked.