North Korea’s Uranium Waste Discharge: A Long-Term Environmental Threat
North Korea’s Pyongsan uranium refining facility, crucial to its nuclear weapons program, is discharging untreated wastewater directly into the Yesong River. This follows the saturation of a previously used sedimentation pond, evidenced by high-resolution satellite imagery showing newly constructed drainage channels diverting waste. The contaminated water flows into South Korean waters, raising concerns about environmental contamination, despite past assurances of no significant radioactive leakage. This action demonstrates a disregard for international monitoring and potential transboundary environmental consequences.
John Q. Hosedrinker