North Korea has constructed a new uranium enrichment facility at Yongbyon capable of housing up to 28 centrifuge cascades and expanded operations at its Kangson site, according to a report released on September 9, 2026, by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has formally identified a new two-storey building at the main Yongbyon nuclear complex as the site’s second uranium enrichment facility. The assessment, detailed in a report dated August 28, 2026, relies on satellite imagery and open-source materials, including state media photographs published after a June visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
International inspectors have not set foot inside North Korea since 2009, leaving the Vienna-based nuclear watchdog to piece together Pyongyang’s infrastructure growth from commercial satellite views and official publications. By cross-referencing construction imagery with state media photos from the June visit, analysts determined that the new building houses gas centrifuge cascades on both its upper and lower floors.
Yongbyon’s New Facility and Centrifuge Capacity
Construction on the Yongbyon structure began in December 2024, with the exterior shell finished by May 2025. Between June and October of that year, the site was connected to power supplies, followed by the installation of backup generators and six cooling units. The IAEA assessed the building could accommodate up to 28 cascades of the type visible in state photographs.
A cascade links multiple centrifuges together to progressively raise uranium concentration. As the number of operational cascades increases, more uranium can be enriched over the same timeframe. However, the agency noted it could not confirm the exact number or performance of the individual centrifuges installed within each cascade, nor their actual operating rates. Consequently, the watchdog provided no estimate for total highly enriched uranium production or the resulting number of nuclear weapons.
Simultaneous Expansion at the Kangson Site
Alongside the developments at Yongbyon, the agency observed signs of expanded production capacity at the uranium enrichment facility in Kangson, located near the capital city of Pyongyang. An annex constructed next to the existing building in 2024 began showing indications of active operations in January 2026.
The simultaneous activity at both Yongbyon and Kangson indicates a steady, multi-site growth in North Korea’s nuclear infrastructure. The original Yongbyon uranium enrichment facility also appears to have remained operational during the reporting period.
International Alarm and Pyongyang’s Rejection
The nuclear watchdog asserted that these developments represent a breach of international law. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi addressed the board of governors, warning that the ongoing expansion violates relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Pyongyang has consistently rejected the authority of the agency. In a statement submitted to the United Nations in Vienna last September, North Korea maintained that its nuclear-armed status is irreversible and outside the scope of international oversight.
The IAEA safeguards report forms part of the agenda for the agency’s 70th General Conference, where member states will weigh the diplomatic and regional security implications of Pyongyang’s widening nuclear footprint.
