North Korea is carrying out rapid improvements to its nuclear research facility, a monitor said on Wednesday, despite declaring a commitment to denuclearisation of the peninsula at the Singapore summit.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to “work toward” the goal at a landmark summit earlier this month with U.S. President Donald Trump. But the Singapore meeting failed to clearly define denuclearisation or produce a specific timeline.
But recent satellite imagery showed that not only were operations continuing at present at the North’s main Yongbyon nuclear site, it was also carrying out infrastructure works, said the respected 38 North website.
“Commercial satellite imagery from June 21 indicates that improvements to the infrastructure at... Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center are continuing at a rapid pace,” it said.
'Continued operations'
It noted “continued operations” at the North’s uranium enrichment plant and several new installations at the site — including an engineering office and a driveway to a building housing a nuclear reactor.
But continued operations at the site “should not be seen as having any relationship with North Korea’s pledge to denuclearise”, it added.
Nuclear officials could be “expected to proceed with business as usual until specific orders are issued from Pyongyang”, it said.