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       North Korea’s New Reactor Raises Fears of Increased Plutonium Production

       ？A light-water reactor could provide more weapons-grade plutonium, abetting the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s vow to expand his nuclear arsenal.

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       An image provided by North Korean state media this week showed Kim Jong Un, left, and his daughter watching the test launch of a Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Credit...Korean Central News Agency, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

       By Choe Sang-Hun

       Reporting from Seoul

       Dec. 22, 2023, 4:03 a.m. ET

       In what would be a fresh breach of United Nations sanctions, a new reactor ？in North Korea’s ？main nuclear complex appears to？ have gone into operation, providing the country with a potential source of additional plutonium for its growing nuclear arsenal, according to the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.

       ？Since mid-October, the International Atomic Energy Agency has observed a strong water outflow ？from ？the cooling system？ of the new light-water reactor, or L.W.R., that North Korea has been building in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, Rafael Grossi, the director general of the agency, said in a statement？ on Thursday.

       ？ “The discharge of warm water is indicative that the reactor has reached criticality？,” Mr. Grossi said. “The L.W.R., like any nuclear reactor, can produce plutonium in its irradiated fuel, which can be separated during reprocessing, so this is a cause for concern？.”

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       Choe Sang-Hun is the lead reporter for The Times in Seoul, covering South and North Korea. More about Choe Sang-Hun

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