• North Korea is estimated to possess 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium.
• This quantity could allow for the production of roughly 47 nuclear bombs.
• Four active uranium enrichment facilities are operating in North Korea.
• South Korea emphasizes the urgent need to halt North Korea’s nuclear development.
• Diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea have stalled since 2019.

South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed that North Korea is believed to hold approximately 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium, sufficient to manufacture around 47 nuclear bombs at a weapons-grade purity of 90 percent or higher, as per intel from civilian experts. This significant stockpile indicates a marked increase in North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, following analyses of its ongoing uranium enrichment activities at multiple facilities, including the known site at Yongbyon which has been reactivated since 2021, according to trtglobal, aljazeera, indiatimes, and latimes.

Chung confirmed that North Korea operates at least four uranium enrichment plants and urged the need for urgent intervention to halt these developments, criticizing previous diplomatic approaches that designated North Korea as a "main enemy" and prioritized denuclearization without dialogue. This stance has reportedly allowed its nuclear arsenal to grow uncontested, as indicated by trtglobal, aljazeera, indiatimes, and latimes.

Despite North Korea's persistent advancements in its nuclear program, diplomatic efforts have been stagnant since 2019, following a breakdown in negotiations between Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Recently, Kim expressed willingness to engage in talks with the U.S. as long as dismantling nuclear weapons does not remain a precondition, which indicates a complex environment for negotiation moving forward. This development is supported by statements from trtglobal, aljazeera, indiatimes, and latimes.