North Korea: Kim Jong Un visits newly inaugurated nuclear facility

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a newly launched nuclear material production facility, vowing to significantly bolster the country's nuclear capabilities. The visit, reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and cited by Yonhap News Agency, underscores Pyongyang's persistent pursuit of nuclear armament.

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exponentially

During his tour of the undisclosed facility, Kim declared his intention to "exponentially" strengthen the nation's nuclear arsenal. He asserted that North Korea's capacity for producing weapons-grade nuclear material has more than doubled over the last five years, attributing this progress to the nation's nuclear scientists. Kim stressed the urgency of expanding the nuclear deterrent, citing "potential threats and unpredictable long-term crises."

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Potential threats and unpredictable long-term crises further highlight the urgency of expanding the nuclear deterrent both in quality and quantity and in a sustained and accelerated way.

The leader also chaired an "important consultative meeting for bolstering up the nuclear forces" at the facility. Here, he issued "action guidelines for rapidly accelerating the qualitative and quantitative" buildup of Pyongyang's nuclear forces. Kim described the event as a "historic event that has set up an epochal milestone in rapidly upgrading our nuclear capabilities."

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Today we have updated the digits that are critical for our nuclear activities.

Photos released by KCNA depicted rows of cylindrical centrifuges, equipment typically used for uranium enrichment. Documents related to the nuclear weapons program were also visible, though blurred. This development follows North Korea's reaffirmation in February of its status as an "irreversible" nuclear-armed state and its commitment to a five-year military modernization plan.

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This is a historic event that has set up an epochal milestone in rapidly upgrading our nuclear capabilities.