Overview
- A new 38 North analysis of October–November satellite images finds continued modernization and expansion across North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex.
- Six heat‑exchanger‑like units are now visible outside the suspected enrichment building, with completed support structures, new paving, a vehicle shed, and an enclosed passage connecting facilities.
- Analysts assess that equipment staged outside and recent site work indicate interior installation and commissioning are likely underway at the suspected enrichment site.
- Thermal signatures at the experimental light‑water reactor suggest cooling‑water discharge consistent with preoperational testing, while the 5‑megawatt reactor has operated consistently and a summer reprocessing campaign was likely.
- The IAEA previously tracked construction starting in December 2024 with exterior completion by May 2025 and said the building resembles the undeclared Kangson enrichment site, aligning with Kim Jong‑un’s 2025 push to boost weapons‑grade material production.