North Korea has enough plutonium and uranium to produce at least a double-digit number of nuclear weapons, a South Korean lawmaker said Thursday, citing the country’s spy agency.
The agency also anticipates the possibility of North Korea conducting a seventh nuclear test after the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, said Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee.
In July, a report by the Federation of American Scientists found that Pyongyang may have produced enough fissile material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, but has likely assembled nearly 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 ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
Lee, who spoke to reporters after being briefed by South Korea’s national intelligence service, also said the report on the visit could have internal purposes.
“It has been said that the economic situation is dire, so this could be interpreted as an act to instill 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.
Furthermore, weapons are often presented as a matter of national prestige and proof of the country’s power.
Source: Terra
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