Kim stressed the need to increase the number of centrifuges so as to “exponentially increase” the arsenal, and expand use of a new type of centrifuge to increase production of weapon-grade nuclear materials.

The new type of centrifuge shows North Korea is advancing its fuel cycle capabilities, said Ankit Panda of the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“Kim also appears to suggest that North Korean tactical nuclear weapons designs may primarily rely on uranium for their cores,” he said.

This is notable because the country is better able to scale up its highly enriched uranium stockpiles, Panda said, compared to the more complicated process for plutonium.

“It shows how advanced their enrichment capability has become and gives greater credibility to their ability to increasing their nuclear weapons arsenals.”

Jenny Town, Stimson Centre

North Korea invited some foreign scientists to view a centrifuge facility at Yongbyon in 2010, but Jenny Town of the US-based Stimson Centre said Friday’s report was the first and only photographs of the equipment.

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“It shows how advanced their enrichment capability has become, which gives greater credibility to both their ability and commitment to increasing their nuclear weapons arsenals,” she said.

North Korea has previously shown photos of what it says were nuclear warheads. It has conducted six underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017.

Estimates of the number of North Korean nuclear weapons varies widely. In July a report by the Federation of American Scientists concluded that the country may have produced enough fissile material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, but that it has likely assembled closer to 50.

Kim also oversaw the test launch of a new 600mm multiple launch rocket system on Thursday and visited an army training base on Wednesday, according to separate KCNA reports.

In a statement carried by KCNA, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry institute spokesperson criticised a recent defence ministerial meeting between member states of the U.S.-led United Nations Command in Seoul, calling it a “war organisation”.

Germany joined the command last month, becoming the 18th nation in a group that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has committed to defend the South in the event of a war.

Reuters