Correlating the Operation of the Coal Plant to Reprocessing Activities at Yongbyon

As of April 2016, there are growing indications that North Korea has separated, is separating, or will soon be separating plutonium from irradiated fuel at the Radiochemical Laboratory, a process commonly referred to as reprocessing. The irradiated fuel is from the 5 megawatt-electric (MWe) reactor, which restarted in 2013. As highlighted in a previous report, a government official who monitors the situation closely stated to the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) that it is possible that North Korea may have already started reprocessing the spent fuel from the reactor. An analysis of recent satellite imagery obtained shows several activities, which could be correlated to the preparation or actual reprocessing activities underway.

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