U.S. satellite photos show North Korea has reactivated its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon located 60 miles north of Pyongyang.

American security and defense data provider Global Security on Sunday posted on its Web site eight satellite photos of the five-megawatt reactor taken in January this year, September 2004, March 2003 and February 2000.

Global said this year's photos showed a dirt path leading to the facility has been paved compared to photos from September 2004.

The volume of smoke coming out of the reactor was also apparently much larger than that in photos from February 2000, indicating the facility has resumed operation.

After the United States in late 2002 accused the North of running a clandestine nuclear program in violation of the 1994 Agreed Framework, Pyongynag reactivated the reactor in February 2003.

Security experts say the reactor could produce at least six kilograms of plutonium a year that could go to make a nuclear bomb.