North Korea is showing a “very serious increase” in its ability to produce nuclear weapons, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said 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, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said at a news conference in Seoul on Wednesday.
“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 North Korea by its official name.
North Korea accused Japan of a “grave provocation” after Tokyo laid out its opposition to Pyongyang’s nuclear program in an annual diplomatic paper.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry released its annual bluebook last week, detailing Tokyo’s official diplomatic views and repeating its opposition to North Korea having nuclear weapons. AFP
