Nuclear program of North Korea

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The history of the Nuclear program of North Korea begins in the mid-1950s.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Expansion of the Program 2 Nuclear weapons program 3 Control 4 Key Nuclear Organizations

[edit] History

North Korean scientists began theoretical study on nuclear question in the mid-1950s, when they started their practical training at the United Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna, located in the Soviet Union. They were interested in studying electronic physics radiochemistry, high-energy physics and other subjects. From the start, the training of the North Korean scientists in the Soviet Union was carried out solely in the interests of the peaceful use of atomic energy. Soviet-North Korean agreements signed in this connection specifically emphasized the peaceful nature of bilateral cooperation in the nuclear sphere. Other North Korean scientists received their education mainly in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and in China. The scientific and experimental infrastructure in the nuclear field was also built with Soviet technical assistance. Soviet specialists took part in the construction of the Yongbyon nuclear center 103km north of Pyongyang.

[edit] Expansion of the Program

In the late 1960s, the North Korean leadership made a decision to accelerate the development of nuclear science and technology: new research institutes, laboratories and chairs were established in the country. The initial goal of this decision was to create the basis for the development of a nuclear energy sector. In 1970, at the fifth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea and also at the sixth congress in October 1980, delegates again stressed the necessity of constructing "nuclear power plants on a large scale in order to sharply increase the generation of electrical power". At the same time, the North-Korean leadership took into account such factors as absence of explored oil deposits and impossibility of compensating for electric power shortages by means of hydro and thermo-electric power plants. The North Korean leadership decided to develop a nuclear energy sector on the basis of gas-graphite reactors (which can be run on unenriched uranium) because the country possessed sufficient deposits of natural uranium. There are also substantial graphite deposits in North Korea.

In order to accelerate scientific and technological developments, including those in the nuclear field, the March 1988 Plenum of the Central Committee of the WPK made a decision to elaborate a Three-Year plan (1988-1990) for the development of North Korea's science and technology, which identified four main directions: electronics, thermo-technology, Chemistry and metallurgy. This plan paid special attention to the developments of electronics, particularly large integrated circuits, Computer science, robotics, new materials and digital program control. The plan envisaged increase in financing for science and technology programs. In 1990, allocations for science constituted 3.8% of national income according to the official figures. Before the plan was adopted, these allocations did not exceed 2%.

[edit] Nuclear weapons program

In the 1970s Kim Il-sung made a decision to begin work on the development of a domestic nuclear capability. He concluded that the development of a nuclear deterrent was the only means of ensuring the regime's survival. After the regime made a political decision to start working on the development of nuclear weapons, it adopted a number of practical steps aimed at expanding the network of research institutions dealing with the developments in the field of nuclear physics, energy, radiochemistry and others. The nuclear center in Yongbyon, the Nuclear Energy Research Institute and the Radiological Institute were some of the organizations established at this period. In addition, a department of Nuclear Physics was opened at the Pyongyang State University and a nuclear reactor technology chair was opened at the Kimchaek Polythenic University. In terms of equipment, a new Soviet-made research cyclotron was installed at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang and an industrial cyclotron was installed in one of Pyongyang suburbs.

[edit] Control

Control over the development of the nuclear energy sector is exercised by the Ministry of Atomic Energy. The alleged military nuclear program is exercised by the Ministry of Armed Forces. Nuclear research institutes are supervised by the State Committee on Science and Technology.

[edit] Key Nuclear Organizations

A reorganization of scientific research activities was carried out in the 1970s. A majority of the nuclear research institutes were transferred from Pyongyang to the city of Pyonsong(50km from the capital) and combined into a scientific center. The Institute of Physics was founded in 1952. The various departments originally created within the Institute of Physics have served as the basis for the creation of several independent research centers including the Institute of Atomic Physics, Institute of Semiconductors and Institute of Mathematics.