The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said North Korea is continuing to operate uranium enrichment facilities in Yongbyon and Kangson, calling it a “serious concern.” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi made the remarks during an introductory statement to the board of governors Monday in Vienna, Austria, saying, “The IAEA continues to monitor the nuclear program of the DPRK.” DPRK refers to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea. “The Agency has observed that the 5-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon likely continues to operate in its seventh irradiation cycle,” the IAEA quoted Grossi as saying in his prepared statement. “Operation of the Radiochemical Laboratory was observed between January and September 2025, when irradiated fuel from the sixth cycle of the 5-megawatt reactor was likely reprocessed,” he said. “The ongoing operation of enrichment facilities at Kangson and Yongbyon is of serious concern,” Grossi said. Kangson is near Pyongyang, while Yongbyon, in North Pyongan Province, hosts North Korea’s major nuclear facility. IAEA i
