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Activity Indicates Possible Resumption of Yongbyon Reactor

News2017-01-19
Activity Indicates Possible Resumption of Yongbyon Reactor

A widely respected authority on North Korea's nuclear activity says the North appears to have resumed operations to some degree at its main plutonium producing reactor.

Defense expert Joseph Bermudez posted on the North Korea monitoring site "38 North" that commercial satellite imagery shows a steady presence of vehicles near the Yongbyon reactor from October to January.

He interprets that as indicating possible maintenance, refueling or other activity at the five-megawatt facility. 

Although he says no steam exhaust is visible from the reactor tower, Bermudez points out a nearby river channel used for cooling was cleared of ice and dredged in December.

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