Location: Yŏngjŏ-ri (嶺底里), Kimhyŏngjik-kun (金亨稷郡), Yanggang Province (兩江道), North Korea, about 20km from the Chinese border [Note: “Yŏngjŏ-ri” is often misidentified as “Yŏngjŏ-dong (嶺底洞)” but the actual administrative unit is a “ri (里).”]
Subordinate to: Probably the 5th Machine Industry Bureau (5機械工業總局), Korean Workers Party (朝鮮勞動黨) [Note: The 5th Machine Industry Bureau was originally under the Atomic Energy Committee (原子力委員會), which is currently called the General Department of Atomic Energy (原子力總局). However, in 1987, when the Atomic Energy Committee was renamed the Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry (原子力工業部), the 5th Machine Industry Bureau was directly placed under the Korean Workers’ Party.]
Primary Function: Possible production of highly enriched uranium (HEU)
Description: Construction of a large underground site in Yŏngjŏ-ri began in the mid-1990s, and all reports prior to October 2002 identified this site as a missile base. In October 2002, North Korea admitted that it possesses a program to enrich uranium, and the Yŏngjŏ-ri is a suspected site for this program. According to “intelligence and diplomatic sources in Seoul,” US government officials briefed the South Korean government around 10 October 2002 about North Korea’s uranium enrichment program. “Yŏngjŏ-dong” [sic] was one of three suspected sites; the others were “Hagap” and the “Academy of Sciences” in Pyongyang. It is unclear whether US officials have identified a separate facility in Yŏngjŏ-ri dedicated to uranium enrichment, or if the site previously identified as a missile base is a uranium enrichment facility instead.
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Updated April 2003 |
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Key Sources:
Kim Min Sŏk and O Yŏng Hwan, “Puk, Uranium Nongch’uk Shilhŏmjangso ‘Pyŏngsŏng Kukkagwahag’wŏn’ Yu’ryŏk,” Joongang Ilbo, 19 October 2002, <http://www.joins.com/>; Yonhap News Agency, “Mi’guk, Pukhaek Kaebal ‘Ŭishim’ Shisŏl 3 Kot,” Hankryoreh Shinmun, 19 October 2002, <http://www.hani.co.kr/>; Oh Young-hwan and Kim Min-seok, “North Moved Nuclear Research Site,” Joongang Ilbo, 19 October 2002, <http://english.joins.com/>; Press Statement, Richard Boucher, Spokesman, “North Korean Nuclear Program,” US Department of State, 16 October 2002, <http://www.state.gov/>; Joby Warrick, “U.S. Followed the Aluminum,” Washington Post, 18 October 2002, p. A1, <http://www.washingtonpost.com/>; David E. Sanger and James Dao, “U.S. Says Pakistan Gave Technology to North Korea,” New York Times, 18 October 2002, <http://www.nytimes.com/>.
