North Korea is ‘restarting its nuclear plant’

There are fears that North Korea is restarting a plutonium reactor after steam was seen rising from its Yongbyon nuclear facility.

A US research institute analysed satellite images from August 31 showing white clouds rising from a building next to the reactor.

The building houses steam turbines and electric generators that are driven by heat generated by the reactor.

The institute said the colour and volume of the steam is consistent with the electrical generating system being about to operate. Pyongyang vowed to restart facilities at its main nuclear complex in April, amid high regional tensions.

It had been shut down in 2007 under the terms of a disarmament agreement.

The reactor can produce plutonium, which North Korea could use to make nuclear weapons.

The findings, written by Jeffrey Lewis and Nick Hansen for the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, suggested the reactor is either operational now, or will be in a matter of days.