North Korean leader calls for 'exponential' nuclear expansion after inspecting new plant

Kim Jong Un inspecting newly opened nuclear material production plant at an undisclosed location in North Korea
KCNA VIA KNS / AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un called for an "exponential" expansion of the country's atomic arsenal during a visit to a nuclear material production plant, North Korean state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday (4).
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Kim said the country's weapons-grade nuclear material production capacity has doubled over the past five years and gave instructions for it to increase further to meet long-term strategic goals.
Photographs published by state media showed Kim walking between rows of cylinder-shaped equipment inside the facility, which some analysts said could indicate the site is the country's main nuclear complex in Yongbyon.
During the visit, he was briefed on the new production processes that incorporate more advanced technology and analyzed current production goals and future plans, KCNA reported.
Kim said the expansion is necessary due to what he called worsening security threats and the long-term confrontation with "the fiercest enemies," and reaffirmed the country's policy of increasing its nuclear deterrence.
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KCNA said an important consultative meeting on strengthening nuclear forces was held on the same day, in which Kim outlined guidelines to accelerate the qualitative and quantitative expansion of North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
The country defined the sequence and safeguards for the execution of an "ambitious future plan designed to strengthen our state's nuclear forces at an exponential rate," Kim said, according to KCNA.
This is a "historic event that has set a historic milestone in the rapid upgrade of our nuclear capabilities," he added.

Source: G1