MGC-20 Cyclotron

The MGC-20 cyclotron in Pyongyang was provided and installed with the cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA approved this project in 1983 and the cyclotron was ordered from the Soviet Union in 1985. North Korea began construction of a building for the cyclotron in 1987, and completed the construction in July 1990. ¹ The delivery of the cyclotron’s main parts took place during 1989-1990. The MGC-20 cyclotron was manufactured by the D. Efremov Scientific Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus in St. Petersburg, Russia. ² Funding for the cyclotron project was provided by the IAEA, the United States, and the North Korean government, and the facility was commissioned in April 1992. ³ The MGC-20 cyclotron produces radioisotopes such as iodine-123 and technetium-99m for use in nuclear medicine and biology. The cyclotron is also used to analyze the characteristics of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and to conduct experiments, as well as to train students. IAEA experts made several trips to North Korea to advise their counterparts on the engineering design of the cyclotron, and on building requirements. The IAEA sponsored travel for five North Koreans to visit Eastern Europe during 1986-1987 in order to receive technical training in radioisotopes and in cyclotron operations. Charged particle activation analyses were conducted at the facility with IAEA technical cooperation under “Project DRK/4/004.” The facility was also used “to perform proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis for human hair, blood and minerals” under this project. This cyclotron has probably not contributed to nuclear weapons development.

*Note: The cyclotron was reportedly installed in the “Sosan area, in Mangyongdae-guyok (만경대구역) about eight kilometers west of the center of Pyongyang.” However, Sosan-dong is in Sosong-guyok (서성구역).