Uranium mining in North Korea

ties plan to send the prisoners to uranium mines and processing facilities to produce uranium concentrate immediately after they enter the camp, based on the source’s account. 

According to the source, the Pyongsan Uranium Concentrate Plant needs more manpower to expand uranium-related production, so the authorities decided to mobilize prisoners to supplement the labor shortage.

The new camp in Pyongsan will fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Social Security, unlike other political prison camps managed by the Ministry of State Security.

Once a convict is sent to a Ministry of State Security concentration camp, they stand almost no chance of being released. However, it is possible for an inmate at a Ministry of Social Security-operated camp to be released if they are judged to be a “model prisoner” during their incarceration period.

For this reason, prisoners at Ministry of Social Security-operated camps reportedly follow orders from camp authorities more closely than those at Ministry of State Security-operated prison camps.

North Korean authorities classify the refining of uranium as a top-secret industry, and ordinary North Koreans tend to avoid this kind of work because it is considered dangerous. These factors make it challenging to recruit people to work in uranium refinement facilities. 

And the overseas sales?

There are also rumors of North Korea smuggling concentrated uranium produced in Pyongsan to Iran, Syria, Qatar, and Egypt, which lend weight to claims that North Korean authorities are expanding the production of concentrated uranium.

In fact, Daily NK’s source claimed that North Korea is smuggling uranium ore in addition to concentrated uranium.

“As far as I know, China requested uranium ore, not concentrated uranium,” the source explained. “It’s not just that China doesn’t trust North Korea’s refinement capabilities. This way, they can also get uranium ore for a lower price.”

The source further reported that “regardless of the [uranium’s] form, the fact is that uranium smuggling is increasing,” adding, “That’s why more manpower is needed [for the uranium mining process].”