North Korea says it's operating a modern uranium enrichment plant that has thousands of centrifuges.

The Rodong Sinmun, the official paper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, made the claim Tuesday in an article titled "Peaceful development and use of nuclear energy is a global trend."

The North says it is running the enrichment facility to secure fuel for the light-water reactor it is currently constructing.

Pyongyang disclosed the facility to Stanford University Professor Siegfried Hecker during his visit to the Yongbyon nuclear site last month.

But it's the first time for the North to announce in the form of a media report its operation of thousands of centrifuges.