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*Weiss, Rusty (March 25, 2021). [https://thepoliticalinsider.com/days-after-warning-biden-about-sleeping-in-peace-north-korea-launches-ballistic-missiles/ Days After Warning Biden About Sleeping In Peace, North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles]. ''The Political Insider''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref>
*Weiss, Rusty (March 25, 2021). [https://thepoliticalinsider.com/days-after-warning-biden-about-sleeping-in-peace-north-korea-launches-ballistic-missiles/ Days After Warning Biden About Sleeping In Peace, North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles]. ''The Political Insider''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref>
The International Atomic Energy Agency recently assessed that North Korea resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium for nuclear weapons. Pyongyang also may have reprocessed nuclear fuel from previous reactor operations. The developments are worrisome and will test the Biden administration on how to respond to North Korea expanding its ongoing production of nuclear weapons material. In recent years, North Korea has expanded and refined manufacturing facilities for fissile material, nuclear weapons, missiles, mobile missile launchers, and reentry vehicles.
The [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] recently assessed that North Korea resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium for nuclear weapons. Pyongyang also may have reprocessed nuclear fuel from previous reactor operations. The developments are worrisome and will test the Biden administration on how to respond to North Korea expanding its ongoing production of nuclear weapons material. In recent years, North Korea has expanded and refined manufacturing facilities for fissile material, nuclear weapons, missiles, mobile missile launchers, and reentry vehicles.
In 2017, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that North Korea had between 30 and 60 nuclear weapons (or weapons’ worth of fissile material) and could annually produce an additional seven to 12 weapons. While the Yongbyon reactor was offline, production would have decreased; however, resumed reactor operations will presumably return nuclear production to 2017-2018 levels. Since 2017, North Korea demonstrated significant improvements in its ability to target South Korea, Japan, and the continental United States with nuclear weapons. That year, Pyongyang conducted three intercontinental ballistic missile test launches, as well as a hydrogen (thermonuclear) weapon explosion at least 10 times as powerful as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.
In 2017, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that North Korea had between 30 and 60 nuclear weapons (or weapons’ worth of fissile material) and could annually produce an additional seven to 12 weapons. While the Yongbyon reactor was offline, production would have decreased; however, resumed reactor operations will presumably return nuclear production to 2017-2018 levels. Since 2017, North Korea demonstrated significant improvements in its ability to target South Korea, Japan, and the continental United States with nuclear weapons. That year, Pyongyang conducted three intercontinental ballistic missile test launches, as well as a hydrogen (thermonuclear) weapon explosion at least 10 times as powerful as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.