North Korea may possess up to 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU), enriched above 90%, enough to build numerous atomic bombs, South Korea’s Unification Minister Chang Dong-gyang said on Tuesday. He cautioned that such a quantity is “sufficient to manufacture a very large number of nuclear weapons.”
How Many Bombs Is That?
At low enrichment levels (3%-5%), uranium fuels civilian reactors. At ~90%, it becomes weapons-grade and, if present in sufficient critical mass, can power an atomic explosion. The IAEA estimates roughly 42 kilograms of HEU are needed per device; by that yardstick, 2,000 kg could theoretically yield nearly fifty warheads.
For comparison, Iran was assessed in June, before the current war with Israel, to hold about 400 kg of 60%-enriched uranium; its post-strike status remains unclear.
Production Footprint
According to Chang, uranium centrifuges are operating at four facilities inside North Korea, underscoring ongoing production capacity.
“It is urgent to halt North Korea’s nuclear development,” the minister said, arguing that the most realistic path runs through a summit between Pyongyang and Washington. He voiced regret that international sanctions have not delivered the intended results.
Pyongyang’s Position and Background
This week, Kim Jong Un signaled openness to talks with the United States, but only if North Korea can retain its nuclear arsenal. The country conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, and the United Nations has imposed successive rounds of sanctions on its program since then.
AMNA sourced reporting
