IAEA: North Korea's nuclear weapons capacity is increasing

TT

Updated 08.51 | Published 08.33

            

           IAEA Director Rafael Grossi in the South Korean capital Seoul on Wednesday. Photo: Kim Hong-             Ji /AP/TT

North Korea is showing a "very serious increase" in its capacity to produce nuclear weapons, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said.

The statement concerns the Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

- In our periodic assessments, we have been able to confirm that there is a rapid increase in activities, Grossi said at a press conference in Seoul.

- All this points to a very serious increase in North Korea's nuclear weapons production capacity, which is estimated at a few dozen warheads.

South Korea's intelligence service estimates that the isolated North Korea is operating several uranium enrichment facilities, which is a crucial step in producing nuclear warheads.

North Korea has announced that it will never give up its nuclear weapons.