VIENNA: North Korea's controversial nuclear programme is going"full steam ahead," according to an international nuclear watchdog. The programme includes the enrichment of uranium and plutonium separation, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said in Vienna.
"In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the nuclear programme goes full steam ahead," Grossi said at the beginning of the annual meeting of the IAEA member states. In doing so, Pyongyang is violating several UN resolutions.
IAEA inspectors have no access to the isolated country, which has already carried out several tests for the development of nuclear weapons. The Vienna-based atomic authority uses satellites to observe the nuclear facilities.
In the run-up to the conference, the IAEA reported signs that North Korea had restarted the nuclear reactor in its controversial Yongbyon nuclear centre.
The small reactor can supply plutonium for making atomic bombs. Nuclear warheads can be built with enriched uranium.
A week ago, North Korea reported the successful test of strategically important missiles and indicated that the guided missiles were also being developed for nuclear warheads.
For years, Pyongyang has been promoting the development of missiles that are capable of hitting not only South Korea and Japan, but can carry warheads as far as the United States.
North Korea has declared itself a nuclear power. According to estimates by the US organization Arms Control Association from August 2020, there are 30 to 40 nuclear warheads in North Korea.
Meanwhile, North Korea warned on Monday that the United States risked a dangerous nuclear arms race by providing submarine technology to Australia, criticising its "double standards" and vowing counter-measures.
Last week, the United States clinched a new trilateral security partnership involving Britain to provide technological aid to Australia to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.
North korea joined China in decrying the US decision as an "irresponsible one" that destroys regional peace and stability and global non-proliferation efforts.
"These are extremely undesirable and dangerous acts which will upset the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region and trigger off a chain of nuclear arms race," the North's foreign ministry said in a comment carried by the official KCNA news agency.
The North criticised Washington's "double-dealing attitude," singling out White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki's remarks that it does not seek conflict with China but the decision was to shore up regional security.
Her comment "amounts to a stand that any country can spread nuclear technology if it is in its interests, and this shows that the US is the chief culprit toppling the international nuclear non-proliferation system," the ministry said.
"We are closely looking into the background of the U.S. decision and will certainly take a corresponding counter-action in case it has even a little adverse impact on the security of our country."
North korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to work toward denuclearisation of the korean peninsula and establish new relations at a summit with then US president Donald Trump, but negotiations have stalled since 2019.
Pyongyang has slammed Washington for supporting its own and allies' weapons development while condemning the North's programmes as threats to regional peace and security. - Agencies
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