N Korea conducting 'suspicious' activities, US think tank says

North Korea is conducting “suspicious” activities at its main nuclear site at Yongbyon, meaning the North could be planning to produce more plutonium for atomic bombs, says a US think tank.

Satellite images obtained recently show exhaust plumes rising from the thermal plant at Yongbyon's Radiochemical Laboratory on two or three occasions, according to a report published Monday on the 38 North website.

The laboratory is the site's main reprocessing installation to produce plutonium and its latest activities are indicative of an ongoing reprocessing, said the website, which is run by the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

"Exhaust plumes have rarely been seen there and none have been observed on any examined imagery this past winter. The plumes suggest that the operators of the reprocessing facility are heating their buildings, perhaps indicating that some significant activity is being undertaken, or will be in the near future," the report said.

"Whether that activity ... means reprocessing additional plutonium is underway or will be in the near future remains unclear," it said.

Experts at 38 North predicted last year that North Korea's nuclear weapons stockpile could rise to 20, 50 or 100 bombs within the next five years, from about 10 to 16 at that time.

The report comes at the time of increased tensions between the US and North Korea as it recently said it would develop a nuclear arsenal in an effort to protect itself from the US military, which occasionally deploys nuclear-powered warships and aircraft capable of carrying atomic weapons in the region.

Pyongyang has also threatened to launch a nuclear strike on Washington if provoked.

On March 26, the North released a four-minute video titled “Last Chance” which uses computer animation to show a ballistic missile hitting Washington.

The video shows that the intercontinental ballistic missile flies through the earth’s atmosphere and slams into Washington near what appears to be the Lincoln Memorial, and then a nuclear explosion follows.

During a nuclear security summit in Washington last week, US President Barack Obama, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised to increase pressure on North Korea in response to its recent nuclear and missile tests.

The North conducted a nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February.

Pyongyang said the rocket launch was aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit; however, Washington and Seoul denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.​

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