Thermal images of North Korea's main nuclear site show more plutonium than previously thought, which can be used to grow its nuclear weapons stockpile, a U.S. think tank said on Friday.
The analysis by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korean monitoring group, was based on satellite images of the radiochemical laboratory at the Yongbyon nuclear plant from September until the end of June, NBC News reported, citing Reuters.
Images of the uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon could also indicate operation of centrifuges used to increase North Korea’s stock of enriched uranium, its other source of bomb fuel, 38 North said.
North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the U.S. Last week North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile, which experts said had the range to hit all of Alaska and parts of the Pacific Northwest.