North Korea | Nuclear effort ramped up weeks after summit

Evidence of new efforts by Kim Jong Un to expand his nuclear arsenal underscore the challenge facing U.S. President Donald Trump three weeks after declaring that North Korea was “no longer a nuclear threat.”

Several reports released in recent days suggest that Kim continued to ramp up his weapons production – rather than prepare to disarm – in the weeks leading up to his June 12 summit with Trump in Singapore. The reports published by independent researchers and media organizations detail expansion efforts to increase fuel production, build more missile launchers and expand a key rocket-engine manufacturing facility.

The moves illustrate how far Kim remains from surrendering his nuclear weapons despite committing to “work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” during his meeting with Trump. While the reports – some relying on satellite imagery predating the summit – haven’t been officially verified, they suggest U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has much to discuss during an expected trip to Pyongyang in the coming days.

“The reports are just a good reminder of how complicated and difficult it is to denuclearize the North,” said Shin Beomchul, director at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies’ Center for Security and Unification. “North Korea’s intent to denuclearize has been verified only by words and, now with Pompeo expected to make another visit to Pyongyang, it’s time to prove them with actions.”

In the days since the summit, Kim has expanded ties with rivals and allies alike, visiting China and holding talks on economic cooperation with South Korea.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea have suspended regular military exercises seen in North Korea as a threat. And the Seoul-based Munhwa Ilbo newspaper reported yesterday that the local government was considering canceling or scaling back missile-defense plans.

Although Kim has pledged to halt nuclear-weapons tests and demolished a facility used for all six of the country’s atomic bomb detonations, he has said nothing about production and made no commitment to unilaterally disarm. U.S. defense analysts have said North Korea retains as many as 60 nuclear bombs and a range of missiles, including some that are capable of striking the U.S.

Recent revelations include an NBC News report that said U.S. intelligence agencies believe North Korea has increased its production of enriched uranium fuel for nuclear weapons at multiple secret sites in recent months. Kanga Kong, Bloomberg