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North Korea has continued to modernize and expand its main nuclear complex throughout 2025, according to a new analysis by 38 North, a U.S.-based website that monitors developments in the country.
The report said commercial satellite imagery taken in October and November shows ongoing upgrades at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center, which plays a central role in producing nuclear material.
Yongbyon is North Korea’s only source of plutonium and a major producer of enriched uranium for its weapons program.
The northeastern uranium enrichment site has seen the most visible activity this year, with exterior work on two support buildings now completed and new concrete paving added around them.
Satellite images also revealed six possible heat exchangers installed along the southeast side of the enrichment building.
These systems help cool centrifuges and regulate internal temperatures. Additional equipment seen outside the building suggests interior work is still underway.
The report noted that developments at Yongbyon match North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s directives during his visits to nuclear sites, where he called for “epochal successes” in producing weapons-grade nuclear materials and strengthening the country’s nuclear shield.
Throughout 2025, the 5 MW reactor has operated consistently, and the experimental light water reactor has undergone preoperational testing, 38 North said.
These efforts “serve to help fulfill Kim's call for exponential growth of its nuclear weapons arsenals,” the report added.
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