IAEA Reports Large-Scale Water Release from North Korea's Nuclear Reactor

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has reported a massive water leak from the reactor cooling system (LWR) at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear power plant. This is reported in a statement by Grossi to the IAEA Board of Governors published on Thursday night.

"An increased level of activity has been observed at and near the LWR, and since mid-October 2023, there has been a heavy discharge of water from the LWR cooling system. These observations confirm that the LWR is operational," Grossi said.

In addition, he stressed that "the Punggye-ri nuclear test site remains ready to conduct a new nuclear test, which is contrary to United Nations Security Council resolutions and a cause for serious concern".

"The continuation of the DPRK's nuclear programme is a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is deeply regrettable," the IAEA chief added.

Grossi also called on North Korea to comply with its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions and cooperate with the IAEA to effectively implement the Safeguards Agreement under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

"I call on the DPRK to fully comply with its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to cooperate immediately with the Agency in the full and effective implementation of its NPT Safeguards Agreement, and to resolve all outstanding issues, especially those that have arisen in the absence of Agency inspectors," he said.

Grossi added that his agency "remains ready to play an important role in verifying the development of the DPRK's nuclear programme".

As The Gaze previously reported, Greenpeace, in cooperation with the Ukrainian environmental organisation SaveDnipro, has installed radiation sensors near nuclear facilities in Ukraine to provide important information on radiation levels in the event of significant nuclear contamination in Ukraine.

Following visits to Chornobyl, as well as to frontline regions in southern Ukraine, including Zaporizhzhia, Greenpeace and SaveDnipro installed the sensors in schools, hospitals and nuclear facilities. They should provide an early warning of an increase in gamma radiation in the event of another nuclear disaster in Ukraine. The sensors were installed in Zaporizhzhia, Yuzhnoukrainsk, Odesa, Tarutyne, Yuzhne and Uman.