Major North Korean nuclear facility has "high activity," according to a US research group.

North Korea may be about to launch a new nuclear reactor due to heightened tensions in the region and Pyongyang's push to ramp up its arsenal of atomic weapons, according to a US-based think tank. Recent imagery indicates a high level of activity around the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center, with construction of an additional support building by the Experimental Light Water Reactor underway and water discharges having been detected. The 5 MWe reactor, located nearby and active since July 2021, continues to operate and is probably nearing the moment that its fuel should be discharged and replaced. Kim Jong-un's recent directive to increase the country's fissile material production to expand its nuclear weapons arsenal suggests that Pyongyang is ready to deploy its nukes "anytime and anywhere." Last month, North Korean state media reported that Pyongyang had tested a new "underwater nuclear strategic weapon" capable of triggering a "radioactive tsunami." In response, North Korea has carried out a number of weapons tests, including intercontinental ballistic missile launches.