The Defense Ministry says that it is a serious matter if reports that North Korea has built a new uranium enrichment facility are found to be true.

Ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae made the remarks in a regular news briefing Monday, following reports of new North Korean centrifuges that are used for producing highly enriched uranium at the North’s nuclear complex in Yongbyon.

Won said that the government is keeping a watch on North Korea’s nuclear activities and is sharing related intelligence with the U.S. for closer policy coordination.

He said that the North’s nuclear activities are a violation of denuclearization agreements. He urged Pyongyang not to aggravate the situation any further.