IAEA: No Signs of Stopping North Korea's Nuclear Activities

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that despite North Korea's commitment to denuclearization, there are no signs of a halt in the country's nuclear activities. In a report, it stated: "The continuation and further development of the nuclear programs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the statements from its government are a serious cause for concern." This report, published on the evening of Monday, August 19 by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, is set to be presented at the Board of Governors meeting in September. The North Korean government expelled IAEA inspectors from the Yongbyon nuclear facility in 2009 and has since not allowed inspectors to enter the country. The IAEA claims to have increased its monitoring of North Korea's nuclear activities through the review of public information and satellite imagery. The report further states: "Given that we are unable to operate inside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, our information on its nuclear activities is limited, and as nuclear activities in North Korea develop, the amount of information we have is decreasing." According to the report, signs of activity at the steam facility, which plays a role as a radioactive laboratory at the Yongbyon nuclear center, were observed between late April and early May. However, the steam facility was not sufficiently active for enrichment in the nuclear reactor of this facility. The agency noted that the steam production and cooling water flow observed at the Yongbyon nuclear power plant aligns completely with "the operation of this reactor." The report also mentions: "Since December 2015, when the current operational cycle began, signs have been observed indicating that the reactor's activity has been briefly halted several times. However, none of these stoppages have been long enough to prove that the main reactor section has been drained and shut down. The agency's investigations show that the current operational cycle is longer than previous ones." The IAEA further adds: "Signs of the use of enrichment facilities by centrifuges located at this nuclear center, including cooling units and constant vehicle traffic, have been observed." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump met in June at a historic summit in Singapore. In this meeting, both sides ambiguously discussed an agreement for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but since then, little action has been taken. Prior to that, Kim Jong Un met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April, where they agreed on issuing a joint statement regarding the end of the Korean War this year. The leaders of the two Koreas are set to meet again in September. The IAEA has previously expressed readiness to verify any agreements between the U.S. and North Korea regarding the latter's nuclear programs.