IAEA chief says N. Korea doubled the size of its nuclear facility

IAEA chief says N. Korea doubled the size of its nuclear facility. March. 22, 2017 07:11. by Seung-Heon Lee, In-Chan Hwang ddr@donga.com,hic@donga.com.

The White House said that U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on North Korea’s test of a new high-thrust engine and had discussions over the issue. CNN said, “The Pentagon is still analyzing the test and US defense officials told that the rocket engine North Korea tested Sunday could possibly be used in an eventual intercontinental ballistic missile.”

“I think we continue to be concerned with North Korea's activity. I think that is part of what Secretary Tillerson is going to be discussing to him during their meeting,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters on Monday (local time). “I think he sent a very clear signal that our policy of strategic patience is over.” He has indicated that talks between Pyongyang and Washington are unlikely to be resumed in the foreseeable future.

“North Korea has doubled the size of its facility for enriching uranium in recent year and North Korea as rapidly advancing its capacity to produce nuclear weapons on two fronts: the production of plutonium at its Yongbyon nuclear facility and the enrichment of uranium,” International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. While he did not mention a specific number of nuclear bombs held by North Korea, Washington and Beijing estimate the number would be up to 40, the newspaper said.

The IAEA chief said that as it is a very political issue, a political consensus is mandatory, adding that the IAEA cannot be optimistic and the situation is very bad. Referring to the nuclear negotiation between the U.S. and Iran in 2015 which he led, he said that it is getting into a new phase, and it is difficult to compare it with Iran because they are very different. Economic sanctions brought Iran, an open economy, to a dialogue but it might not work for North Korea, a closed economy with 90 percent of its trade depending on China.