Kim Jong Un Inspects New Nuclear Plant, Vows Exponential Increase in Weapons Production

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a newly built plant making weapons-grade nuclear material and said Pyongyang will “beef up” its nuclear forces at an “exponential rate,” according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim claimed North Korea has more than doubled its capacity to produce weapons-grade nuclear material over the past five years, and that the new facility will strengthen the country’s nuclear deterrent.

The report did not identify the plant’s location, and it is unclear whether Kim visited a previously reported uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon or another site. North Korea has already shown signs of expanding its nuclear infrastructure. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in March that it was monitoring a new building at Yongbyon with features similar to the Kangson enrichment facility, while the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said in April that Pyongyang was likely building another enrichment facility there.

This is at least the third time since September 2024 that North Korean state media has released images of Kim inspecting a uranium enrichment or nuclear material production site. Photos from Wednesday’s visit showed rows of centrifuges, control rooms, piping, and other industrial equipment, suggesting the plant is operational or nearing completion. A South Korean expert said the images indicate North Korea is shifting from research and production toward mass production of nuclear material and weapons.

North Korea has spent years advancing both its missile and nuclear programs. U.S. intelligence says the country has tested intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching any part of the United States. A Congressional Research Service report from March said North Korea has enough nuclear material for up to 90 warheads and may have assembled about 50.

Kim praised nuclear scientists for meeting the goals of a five-year plan launched after denuclearization talks with the United States collapsed, including three meetings with then-President Donald Trump during his first term. He said North Korea’s nuclear potential is “inconceivable.”

The announcement comes as Washington is trying to reach a deal to end the war with Iran and persuade Tehran to give up nuclear materials that could be used to build weapons. The North Korean case is also part of a broader global nuclear buildup. The 2026 Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor said the world’s nine nuclear-armed states now have 9,745 warheads available for use, with Russia and the United States holding the largest arsenals.