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Commercial satellite imagery published by 38 North indicating new activity at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center suggesting that North Korea has either started reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in order to extract plutonium or is preparing to do so.

Some movements has been detected at North Korea’s nuclear facility at Yongbyon in North Pyongan Province suggesting that the North has either started reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in order to extract plutonium or is preparing to do so, a number of American analysts said.

In an article published on 38 North, a website about North Korea, military expert Joseph S. Bermudez, Jr., said that commercial satellite imagery from Apr. 11 showed “a railroad flatcar at the Radiochemical Laboratory’s receiving building. The flatcar is loaded with what appears to be four rectangular tanks or casks.”

“Such tanks or casks could be used to supply chemicals used in a reprocessing campaign intended to produce additional plutonium [or] haul out waste products,” Bermudez said. “Loaded railcars have only been observed here on a few rare occasions in the early 2000s-all associated with a reprocessing campaign.”

“North Korea built a new dirt access road and began excavating parallel to and a few meters east of Building 500, located approximately 180 meters east of the Radiochemical Laboratory. The lower level of this structure was used in the past to hold liquid waste from reprocessing in large tanks and solid waste in its main level. It is generally believed that the building has not been used since the early 1990s,” Bermudez wrote.

When viewed in light of exhaust plumes that had previously been detected at the thermal plant, Bermudez argued that these movements suggest that “North Korea is preparing or conducting a reprocessing campaign to separate more plutonium for weapons.”

On Apr. 15 analysts at the US Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) concluded from other commercial satellite images that North Korea had either begun or was about to begin reprocessing activities. Noting that a coal plant near the reprocessing facility that provides the steam needed for reprocessing appeared to be in operation, the analysts said that “the recent activity of the coal plant raises concern that the plutonium separation has indeed started or will start soon.”

The concerns expressed by researchers in the US based on their analysis of satellite imagery is noteworthy since they follow recent comments by US Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper about the possibility that North Korea is moving ahead with reprocessing. During a hearing before the US Congress this past February, Clapper said, “We further assess that North Korea has been operating the reactor long enough so that it could begin to recover plutonium from the reactor’s spent fuel within a matter of weeks to months.”

Reports also say there has been a flurry of activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site in Punggye Village in Kilju County, North Hamkyong Province.

“Recently, activity by vehicles, workers and equipment at Punggye Village has increased two- or three-fold from last month. We regard this as a plausible sign that North Korea is gearing up for a fifth nuclear test, and we are keeping a close eye on its movements,” South Korean government and military officials said on Apr. 17.

On Apr. 13, 38 North published satellite imagery that showed the movement of small cars and other activity around the north mine shaft at the nuclear testing site at Punggye Village.

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

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