A U.S. think tank said that North Korea continues to operate its key uranium plant in Pyongsan.  

Beyond Parallel, a website on North Korea affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS), issued the assessment on Monday based on its analysis of commercial satellite imagery collected from April to October. 

The website said the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant, located 45 kilometers north of the inter-Korean border, remains operational and is producing a uranium concentrate called yellowcake.

Yellowcake is used to produce highly enriched uranium necessary for the production of nuclear weapons. 

Beyond Parallel said the Pyongsan plant will undoubtedly remain operational for the future and the dismantlement should be an essential component to any meaningful nuclear agreement between the U.S. and North Korea.