North Korea has enough plutonium and uranium to produce at least a double-digit number of nuclear weapons, a lawmaker from neighboring South Korea said on Thursday (26), citing the country’s spy agency.
The agency also sees the prospect of North Korea potentially carrying out a seventh nuclear test after the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5, said Lee Seong-kweun, who sits on the parliamentary intelligence committee.
In July, a report by the Federation of American Scientists concluded that Pyongyang may have produced enough material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, but that it had probably assembled closer to 50.
Lee said it was rare for North Korean state media to report on leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to a uranium enrichment facility, suggesting the report published earlier this month was likely intended to send a message to Washington during the election period.
Lee, who was speaking to reporters after being briefed by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, also said the report on the visit could be for domestic purposes.
“It was said that the economic situation is dire, so it could be interpreted as an act to inspire confidence in residents,” Lee said.
Pyongyang says its arsenal of nuclear weapons and the ballistic missiles to deliver them are needed to counter threats from the United States and its allies.
It also frequently uses weapons as a matter of national prestige and proof of the country’s power.
North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), the reclusive state’s parliament, is due to hold a new session on October 7 in Pyongyang.
During the session, the North could amend its constitution and take follow-up steps to draw new borders with the South, Lee said.
The SPA’s last meeting was held in January, where leader Kim called for a constitutional amendment that would consider South Korea the “principal enemy.”
This content was originally published in North Korea is capable of producing dozens of nuclear weapons, says parliamentarian on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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