Yukiya Amano, the current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed on the 29th that the IAEA believes North Korea has made good progress on its new light water nuclear reactor at Yongbyon.
Amano, speaking at a regular meeting of the IAEA, said, “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea- DPRK has continued construction of the light water reactor and largely completed work on the exterior of the main buildings.”
However, he said that the IAEA is unsure of the timeframe for the operation of the new reactor, explaining, “The Agency remains unable to determine the reactor’s design features or the likely date for it commissioning. Similarly, while the Agency continues to monitor the reported uranium enrichment facility, using satellite imagery, its configuration and operational status cannot be established.”
