North Korea builds new political prison camp near main uranium production site

North Korea has started building a new political prison camp near the factory where it mines and enriches uranium for its nuclear program.North Korean newspaper reported on Tuesday Daily NK.

Construction began after the regime of Kim jong un restrict access to Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant, in the province of North Hwanghae.

According to the specialized media, who cited a high-level source on condition of anonymity, the authorities mobilized lower-ranking soldiers attached to the Ministry of Social Security and local people to work on the work.

North Korean authorities ordered that the construction of the field be completed by the end of the month, and that prisoners be sent there from May 1.

Kim Jong-un plans to send the prisoners to uranium mines and processing facilities to start ramping up production immediately after entering the camp..

North Korean authorities classify uranium enrichment as an industry that must be developed in secrecy, and ordinary North Koreans tend to avoid this type of work because it is considered dangerous. These factors make it difficult to hire people to work in uranium refining facilities.

On the other hand, the source of Daily NK I affirm that North Korea smuggles uranium ore, amid reports that Pyongyang also illegally sells enriched uranium produced by Pyongsan to Iran, Syria, Qatar Yes Egypt.

“For all I know, China asked for uranium ore and not enriched uranium ”, the source explained.

The source further reported that “Whatever the form [del uranio], the fact is that uranium smuggling is increasing“, And added:” That is why it takes more manpower [para el proceso de extracción del elemento]”.

Plutonium extraction

In addition to uranium enrichment work, North Korea could also try to mine plutonium to make more nuclear weapons at the Yongbyon nuclear complex., based on recent satellite photos.

In March, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mariano Grossi, noted that some of the country’s nuclear facilities were still in operation, citing the operations of the plant that serves the radiochemical laboratory of Yongbyon. The plutonium is extracted in the laboratory by reprocessing the spent fuel rods taken from the reactors.

Plutonium is one of the two key ingredients in the manufacture of nuclear weapons, with him enriched uranium. The Yongbyon complex, located north of Pyongyang, has facilities to produce both ingredients. It is not known exactly how much plutonium is suitable for these types of weapons or how much enriched uranium was produced at the plant and where it is stored.

External estimates of the size of the North Korean arsenal vary. In 2018, a South Korean official told parliament that the North could have between 20 and 60 bombs.

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