The New York Times says the Trump administration’s urgency in dealing with the North Korean nuclear crisis reflects concerns about the rapid advances in the North’s weapons programs.

The Times report Monday pointed to expert studies and classified intelligence reports that conclude Pyongyang is capable of producing a nuclear bomb every six or seven weeks.

UN investigators reportedly found evidence that the North’s factories had succeeded in producing lithium 6, a rare ingredient needed for Pyongyang's push to make a hydrogen bomb.

The report says that without any changes in the situation, North Korea’s nuclear arsenal may well hit 50 by the end of Trump’s term, about half the size of Pakistan’s.

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