North Korea releases rare glimpse of Kim Jong Un touring secret nuclear weapons facility
USA TodaySep 16
N.Korea Releases First Images of Uranium Enrichment Facility
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The Facts
North Korea's state media showed images of a uranium enrichment facility for the first time on Friday, with leader Kim Jong Un inspecting rows of centrifuges and a control room at the base.
The release comes as Kim said this week that the number of the nation's nuclear weapons will be "exponentially" increased, but it's unclear when his visit took place. The location of the now-revealed top-secret weapons-grade uranium plant remains undisclosed.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Though Kim may seem like an irrational actor, he's simply using the only leverage he has in dealing with South Korea and the US. His nuclear ambitions are designed to seek political gains and sanctions relief after successive American administrations have derailed diplomatic routes to denuclearization.
Pro-establishment narrative
As much as North Korea wishes to flex its military potential and engage in bombastic rhetoric, it would be best for Pyongyang not to push this too far. The North is well known to suffer extreme economic hardship, and it's near-impossible for them to keep masking vulnerabilities with dangerous propaganda and military activity.