North Korea’s Kim calls for ‘exponential’ nuclear expansion after inspecting new plant, KCNA says

SEOUL, June 4 (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a newly operational nuclear materials production facility and called for an “exponential” expansion of the country’s atomic arsenal, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

Kim said the production capacity of weapons-grade nuclear material has more than doubled the previous level in the past five years and instructed officials to further increase production to meet long-term strategic goals.

According to KCNA, during the visit, Kim was informed about new production processes involving more advanced technology, and current production targets and future plans were reviewed.

Kim said the expansion was necessary given what he called worsening security threats and long-term conflicts with hostile forces, and reaffirmed his policy of constantly increasing the country’s nuclear deterrent.

An important consultative meeting on strengthening nuclear forces was held on the same day, KCNA said, and Kim outlined guidelines to accelerate both the qualitative and quantitative expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal.

Kim said the country had taken “responsible and important decisions”, including determining the sequence and measures for implementing what he described as a broad plan to “exponentially” strengthen nuclear forces.

He said North Korea had “marked a transformative milestone in the development of nuclear capabilities.”

(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Chris Reese and Nia Williams)