N Korea’s Kim Jong Un calls for ‘exponential’ expansion of nuclear arsenal

Key points

• Kim says expansion is necessary due to worsening security threats and long-term confrontation with the ‘most ferocious enemies’.
• North Korea has unveiled a new facility to produce nuclear bomb fuels as leader Kim Jong Un calls for an “exponential” expansion of his country’s atomic arsenal.
• During a visit to the facility on Thursday, Kim said production capacity for weapons-grade nuclear material was more than double its level of five years ago, the state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
• Kim said the expansion is necessary due to what he referred to as worsening security threats and a long-term confrontation with the “most ferocious enemies”, reaffirming his government’s policy to increase its nuclear deterrence.
• Kim was also briefed on new production processes incorporating more advanced technology and reviewed current output targets and future plans, KCNA said.