IAEA reports new North Korea uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon

September 9, 2026 at 09:15 PM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

North Korea has built a new uranium enrichment facility at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, the IAEA said in a report dated August 28 and circulated on September 9. The agency also reported signs that an expanded enrichment plant at Kangson near Pyongyang has begun operation.

Key Facts

The new two-story building at Yongbyon is the complex's second uranium enrichment facility and can hold up to 28 centrifuge cascades.
IAEA inspectors have had no access to North Korea since 2009, so the agency relies on satellite imagery and open-source data.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the operation of enrichment plants at Kangson and Yongbyon raises serious concern.
North Korea's nuclear activities violate UN Security Council resolutions banning nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

Yongbyon Expansion

The IAEA identified the new building by comparing satellite imagery from the construction period with photos from Kim Jong Un's June visit published by North Korean state media. The photos show gas centrifuge cascades on both floors of the building. The agency estimates the facility can accommodate up to 28 such cascades.

Kangson Site

The IAEA also reported signs that an expanded uranium enrichment facility at Kangson, near Pyongyang, began operation in January. The additional structure at Kangson was built in 2024. The agency said these developments indicate continued expansion of North Korea's nuclear infrastructure at multiple sites.

International Response

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the international community is seriously concerned about North Korea's nuclear program. Grossi stated that the current operation of enrichment plants at Kangson and Yongbyon, along with reports of further expansion of weapons-grade nuclear material production, raises serious concern. The IAEA noted that North Korea's nuclear activities violate UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.