North Korea appears to have continued operation of its Yongbyon nuclear facility last year, a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

In an annual report by the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) that it will submit to the UN General Assembly next month, the IAEA cited observations that indicate the 5MW nuclear reactor at Yongbyon had been operating until mid-August of last year.

The agency added that there were indications of intermittent reactor operation from mid-August through November last year based on satellite imagery and open source information.

The IAEA said there were indications consistent with the use of a centrifuge enrichment facility located at Yongbyon and observed activities consistent with the fabrication of reactor components and the possible transfer of these components into the reactor building.

The agency noted that activities at Yongbyon in 2018 may have been related to changes to an installed cooling system, adding that a steam plant that serves an onsite nuclear research facility was observed running between late April and early May last year.

The IAEA pointed out that the Yongbyon activity is a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

[Photo : YONHAP News]