North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a new nuclear material production factory, ordering workers to increase atomic weapons output.

01:18, Thu, Jun 4, 2026 Updated: 01:21, Thu, Jun 4, 2026

Kim, being shown some pretty neat stuff by atomic officials

Kim Jong Un Gives Field Guidance at Newly-Inaugurated Nuclear Materials Production FactoryPyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gave field guidance at the newly-inaugurated nuclear materials production factory on June 3.He was accompanied by leading officials of the munitions industry department of the WPK Central Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Institute of the DPRK.Going round new production lines based on more sophisticated technology, Comrade Kim Jong Un learned about the factory's operation indices and its long-term production plan.He highly appreciated the fact that the nuclear materials production sector is correctly implementing the decisions adopted at recent plenary meetings of the WPK Central Committee.He praised the group of nuclear experts for having provided a firm guarantee to improve the efficiency of all system elements in the production line and further strengthen the foundation for the production of weapons-grade nuclear materials by settling the problems decisive in putting the production of nuclear materials on a Juche basis. (Image: undefined)

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has ordered workers at a brand-new nuclear production facility to accelerate the manufacture of fresh atomic weapons in order to bolster the country's ever-growing arsenal.

The Korean leader was pictured touring his latest nuclear material production plant on Wednesday (June 3), offering on-site guidance to officials and experts. According to state media reports, he was so impressed that he demanded the factory ramp up its production output considerably.

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Kim, accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Munitions Industry of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Nuclear Weapons Research Institute, was photographed inspecting production lines, reviewing projects with top brass, and engaging with workers as they advanced the nation's latest developments in nuclear technology.

The North Korean leader told those assembled at the plant that the production capacity of weapons-grade nuclear material has now surpassed twice its previous output, thanks to efforts made over the past five years, and urged workers to push their productivity even further.

Staff at the factory looked thrilled about being rewarded for a job well done with more work

Kim Jong Un Gives Field Guidance at Newly-Inaugurated Nuclear Materials Production FactoryPyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gave field guidance at the newly-inaugurated nuclear materials production factory on June 3.He was accompanied by leading officials of the munitions industry department of the WPK Central Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Institute of the DPRK.Going round new production lines based on more sophisticated technology, Comrade Kim Jong Un learned about the factory's operation indices and its long-term production plan.He highly appreciated the fact that the nuclear materials production sector is correctly implementing the decisions adopted at recent plenary meetings of the WPK Central Committee.He praised the group of nuclear experts for having provided a firm guarantee to improve the efficiency of all system elements in the production line and further strengthen the foundation for the production of weapons-grade nuclear materials by settling the problems decisive in putting the production of nuclear materials on a Juche basis. (Image: KCNA)

According to the Northern newspaper Rodong Sinmun, Kim also unveiled a plan to "exponentially strengthen the national nuclear force," declaring that the country's current nuclear capability was built upon a "noble path of struggle" undertaken by North Korean scientists over the past five years.

Ramping up the expansion of its weapons stockpile would serve as a war deterrent, Kim stated, describing it as a "fundamental guarantee and powerful safeguard that reliably ensures the country's security, interests, and right to development."

He further declared that this build-up was an essential stance for managing a prolonged confrontation against "the most vicious adversaries", in a chilling warning directed at the West.

Kim's visit to the newly operational nuclear facility comes just weeks after North Korea launched a mysterious projectile into the sea during its most recent weapons test, ordered by the Supreme Leader himself.

KCNA reports that "respected comrade" Kim Jong Un has toured a newly-inaugurated Nuclear Materials Production Factory

Kim Jong Un Gives Field Guidance at Newly-Inaugurated Nuclear Materials Production FactoryPyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gave field guidance at the newly-inaugurated nuclear materials production factory on June 3.He was accompanied by leading officials of the munitions industry department of the WPK Central Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Institute of the DPRK.Going round new production lines based on more sophisticated technology, Comrade Kim Jong Un learned about the factory's operation indices and its long-term production plan.He highly appreciated the fact that the nuclear materials production sector is correctly implementing the decisions adopted at recent plenary meetings of the WPK Central Committee.He praised the group of nuclear experts for having provided a firm guarantee to improve the efficiency of all system elements in the production line and further strengthen the foundation for the production of weapons-grade nuclear materials by settling the problems decisive in putting the production of nuclear materials on a Juche basis. (Image: KCNA)

South Korean military officials confirmed the unidentified projectile was fired from the peninsula's west coast on Tuesday, marking the North's latest weapons test this year.

Reports indicated the projectile travelled an estimated distance of 49 miles before plunging into the Yellow Sea on May 26.

This followed yet another launch by the North on April 19, in which multiple short-range missiles were fired in what state media portrayed as a demonstration of cluster bomb warheads.