North Korea disclosed a new uranium enrichment facility, tested upgraded missile engines, and reaffirmed its nuclear status as China’s President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to Pyongyang in seven years. These developments unfold amid a prolonged freeze in nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. and South Korea, and as North Korea deepens military cooperation with Russia.
Nuclear & Military Developments
Uranium Enrichment Facility Disclosure
North Korea revealed a new facility built to produce fuel for nuclear bombs. Leader Kim Jong Un visited the site and discussed plans to expand the country's nuclear forces "at an exponential rate," according to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed the facility to be a uranium enrichment plant and stated it is coordinating with the United States to monitor North Korean nuclear activities.
Photographs released by KCNA showed Kim walking through aisles lined with centrifuge equipment and meeting with senior officials. This is the third time North Korea has publicly disclosed a uranium enrichment site. Previous disclosures occurred in 2010 at the Yongbyon nuclear complex and in 2024 at a facility believed to be the Kangson complex. Experts suggest the newly revealed site is likely an additional enrichment facility at Yongbyon, representing a substantial expansion of enrichment capability.
Kim claimed that nuclear materials production capacity has more than doubled compared to five years ago—a claim that cannot be independently verified. Estimates of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20-60 warheads in 2018 to possibly over 100 currently, according to various assessments. North Korea has not conducted a nuclear test since September 2017.
Solid-Fuel Engine Test
Kim Jong Un observed a ground jet test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine designed for weapons capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. KCNA reported the test involved a composite carbon fiber material and achieved a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons, an increase from approximately 1,970 kilonewtons reported in a similar test in September.
Solid-fuel missiles are generally considered more agile, mobile, and harder to detect than liquid-fuel counterparts. The test was described as part of a five-year arms build-up initiative aimed at upgrading "strategic strike means."
Some experts expressed skepticism. Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute, suggested the report could be "bluffing" due to the absence of key information, such as the engine's total combustion time. A previous solid-fuel engine test in September was described as the ninth and final ground test for an ICBM engine, though no ICBM launch using that engine has been observed since.
Naval Missile Tests & Destroyer Commissioning
Kim Jong Un supervised missile tests from the destroyer Choe Hyon on multiple occasions. The tests involved two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-ship missiles. State media reported the cruise missiles flew for over two hours and the anti-ship missiles for over 30 minutes over the country's western seas before hitting their targets.
The Choe Hyon is a 5,000-ton-class destroyer first unveiled in April 2025. State media says it is designed to carry anti-air and anti-ship weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. A second destroyer of the same class, the Kang Kon, was unveiled in May 2024 but was damaged during a launch attempt and later relaunched. A third destroyer is under construction.
Kim stated the government remains focused on the expansion of its nuclear forces and issued new tasks to sharpen nuclear attack and rapid-response capabilities. He also reviewed weapons system plans for additional destroyers under construction. South Korean officials and experts have suggested the vessel was likely built with Russian assistance, though some question its readiness for active service.
North Korea also announced plans to deploy new long-range artillery systems capable of striking South Korea's capital region. Kim Jong Un visited a munitions factory producing 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers, which he said have a striking range of over 60 km.
Workers' Party Congress & Policy Direction
North Korea convened its Ninth Workers' Party Congress in late February. During the congress, Kim Jong Un was re-elected as the party's General Secretary. Kim asserted significant progress since 2021, referencing economic growth and a strengthened regional status.
Kim called for the development of new weapons systems, including ICBMs capable of underwater launch and an expanded arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons. He stated that accelerated development of nuclear and missile programs has "permanently cemented" North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state.
Regarding the United States, Kim indicated openness to dialogue if Washington abandons "hostile" policies toward North Korea. He stated that the future of US-North Korea relations "depends entirely on the US attitude," adding, "Whether it's peaceful coexistence or permanent confrontation, we are ready for either, and the choice is not ours to make."
Diplomacy & International Relations
Chinese President Xi Jinping's State Visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to North Korea from June 8-9, his first visit since June 2019. The visit marked the 65th anniversary of the China-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.
Xi was welcomed at the airport by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, with a 21-gun salute and military band performances. Xi stated that bilateral relations are at a "new historical starting point" with "new development opportunities." He expressed China's willingness to expand cooperation in trade, agriculture, construction, and technology. Kim described the relationship with Beijing as North Korea's "most important and primary strategic undertaking."
Analysts suggested China aimed to reassert its influence over North Korea amid Pyongyang's strengthening ties with Russia. William Yang of the International Crisis Group said that as North Korea builds closer ties with Russia, China seeks to reassert its influence over Pyongyang and safeguard its strategic interests in northeast Asia.
During the visit, official statements did not mention North Korea's nuclear program or denuclearization. China has removed references to denuclearization from official messaging since 2024.
North Korea-China Diplomatic Exchanges
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a two-day visit to Pyongyang, his first in seven years. He met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui and discussed ways to facilitate further cooperation and exchanges.
Kim Jong Un met with Wang Yi and expressed support for China's "one-China principle" regarding Taiwan, stating his government would fully support Chinese efforts to achieve territorial integrity. Kim voiced support for China's push to build a "multipolar world" and called for deeper ties. Wang Yi said relations between the two countries were entering a "new phase."
State media did not mention whether discussions included issues related to the United States or the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Relations with South Korea & the United States
Kim Jong Un has suspended meaningful dialogue with the United States and South Korea since the collapse of his second summit with then-U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019. He has defined South Korea as North Korea's "most hostile" adversary and rejected U.S. offers to resume talks, calling on Washington to drop its demand for denuclearization as a precondition.
In a speech to the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim accused the United States of global "state terrorism and aggression," an apparent reference to the conflict in the Middle East. State media reported the assembly passed a revised constitution, though specific amendments were not detailed. Observers had anticipated revisions formalizing South Korea as a perpetual adversary and eliminating allusions to shared nationhood.
South Korea's presidential office commented that Kim Jong Un's declaration of the South as "the most hostile state" is undesirable for peaceful coexistence on the Korean peninsula.
Relations with Russia
North Korea has deepened its military ties with Russia in recent years. Reports indicate North Korea has sent troops and weapons shipments to support Russia's war in Ukraine. In 2024, North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense treaty. South Korea's Institute for National Security Strategy estimated Moscow has paid Pyongyang up to $14.4 billion since 2023, possibly including sensitive military technology.
Economic Context & Domestic Affairs
North Korea's economy grew by nearly 4% last year, according to South Korea estimates, driven partly by cooperation with Russia and a post-pandemic recovery in trade with China. The 2026 state budget allocates 15.8% of total expenditure to defense, with explicit funding for expanding nuclear deterrence and war-fighting capabilities.
The Supreme People's Assembly passed a revised constitution and approved a new five-year economic plan focusing on modernizing industry, increasing electricity and coal production, boosting food output, and expanding housing construction.