141-641: The Nyongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center (녕변원자력연구소) is North Korea 's major nuclear facility, operating its first nuclear reactors . It is located in Nyongbyon County in North Pyongan Province , about 100 km north of Pyongyang . The center produced the fissile material for North Korea's six nuclear weapon tests from 2006 to 2017 , and since 2009 is developing indigenous light water reactor nuclear power station technology. The major installations include all aspects of
282-416: A Magnox nuclear reactor fuel cycle , based on the use of natural uranium fuel: Magnox spent fuel is not designed for long-term storage as both the casing and uranium metal core react with water; it is designed to be reprocessed within a few years of removal from a reactor. As a carbon dioxide cooled, graphite moderated Magnox reactor does not require difficult-to-produce enriched uranium fuel or
423-584: A United Nations Environmental Programme report in 2003, forest covers over 70 percent of the country, mostly on steep slopes. North Korea had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.02/10, ranking it 28th globally out of 172 countries. The longest river is the Amnok (Yalu) River which flows for 790 kilometers (491 mi). The country contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Central Korean deciduous forests , Changbai Mountains mixed forests , and Manchurian mixed forests . North Korea experiences
564-447: A chain reaction . To improve the fuel's sensitivity to neutrons, a neutron moderator is used, in this case highly purified graphite . The reactors consisted of a huge cube of this material (the "pile") made up of many smaller blocks and drilled through horizontally to make a large number of fuel channels . Uranium fuel was placed in aluminium canisters and pushed into the channels in the front, pushing previous fuel canisters through
705-523: A détente developed. A series of summits took place between Kim Jong Un of North Korea, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, and President Trump. On 10 January 2021, Kim Jong Un was formally elected as the General Secretary in 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea , a title previously held by Kim Jong Il. On 24 March 2022, North Korea conducted a successful ICBM test launch for
846-484: A heavy water moderator it is an attractive choice for a wholly indigenous nuclear reactor development. The Magnox facilities were disabled in 2007 in accord with the six-party talks agreement, but following the breakdown of that agreement were partially re-enabled in 2009 to reprocess existing stocks of spent fuel. On 15 September 2015, North Korea announced that the reactor had resumed operation. The center also has an IRT-2000 pool-type research reactor , supplied by
987-957: A humid continental climate within the Köppen climate classification scheme. Winters bring clear weather interspersed with snow storms as a result of northern and northwestern winds that blow from Siberia . Summer tends to be by far the hottest, most humid, and rainiest time of year because of the southern and southeastern monsoon winds that carry moist air from the Pacific Ocean . Approximately 60 percent of all precipitation occurs from June to September. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons between summer and winter. The daily average high and low temperatures for Pyongyang are −3 and −13 °C (27 and 9 °F) in January and 29 and 20 °C (84 and 68 °F) in August. North Korea functions as
1128-580: A hydrogen bomb and a missile capable of reaching the United States. Throughout 2017, following Donald Trump 's ascension to the US presidency, tensions between the United States and North Korea increased, and there was heightened rhetoric between the two, with Trump threatening "fire and fury" if North Korea ever attacked U.S. territory amid North Korean threats to test missiles that would land near Guam . The tensions substantially decreased in 2018, and
1269-446: A uranium enrichment plant began operating. The Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center site occupies 24.8 square kilometres (9.6 sq mi). It has two sections, the nuclear research section and a larger residential district (sometimes named Bungang or Pun’gangni), separated and surrounded by fencing. Construction of the 5 MWe experimental reactor began in 1980, and the reactor first went critical in 1986. This reactor
1410-724: A " military first " policy which prioritizes the Korean People's Army in state affairs and the allocation of resources. It possesses nuclear weapons . Its active-duty army of 1.28 million soldiers is the fourth-largest in the world. In addition to being a member of the United Nations since 1991, North Korea is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement , G77 , and the ASEAN Regional Forum . The modern spelling of Korea first appeared in 1671 in
1551-450: A 2,000 gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant to produce low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel began operating, and construction started on the experimental 25 to 30 MWe LWR, with a target operation date for the reactor of 2012. In November 2011, satellite imagery indicated that the LWR construction was progressing rapidly, with the concrete structures largely completed. The LWR is being built on
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#17327723612211692-403: A 25 or 100-year decommissioning strategy should be adopted. After 80 years short-lifetime radioactive material in the defuelled core would have decayed to the point that human access to the reactor structure would be possible, easing dismantling work. A shorter decommissioning strategy would require a robotic core dismantling technique. The current approximately 100-year decommissioning plan
1833-501: A cooling pond after extraction from the reactor for extended periods. In contrast to the Windscale layout, the magnox design used vertical fuel channels. This required the fuel shells to lock together end-to-end, or to sit one on top the other to allow them to be pulled out of the channels from the top. Like the Windscale designs, the later magnox reactors allowed access to the fuel channels and could be refuelled while operating . This
1974-428: A cult of personality closely tied to the state philosophy of Juche, which was later passed on to his successors: his son Kim Jong Il in 1994 and grandson Kim Jong Un in 2011. In 2013, Clause 2 of Article 10 of the newly edited Ten Fundamental Principles of the Workers' Party of Korea stated that the party and revolution must be carried "eternally" by the "Mount Paektu Bloodline". According to New Focus International ,
2115-561: A heart attack in 1994 ; Kim Jong Il declared a three-year period of national mourning, afterward officially announcing his position as the new leader. North Korea promised to halt its development of nuclear weapons under the Agreed Framework , negotiated with U.S. president Bill Clinton and signed in 1994. Building on Nordpolitik , South Korea began to engage with the North as part of its Sunshine Policy . Kim Jong Il instituted
2256-542: A highly centralized, one-party totalitarian dictatorship. According to its constitution , it is a self-described revolutionary and socialist state "guided in its building and activities only by great Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism". In addition to the constitution, North Korea is governed by the Ten Principles for the Establishment of a Monolithic Ideological System (also known as the "Ten Principles of
2397-757: A leader of the Non-Aligned Movement and promoting the ideology of Juche . In United States policymaking, North Korea was considered among the Captive Nations . Despite its efforts to break out of the Soviet and Chinese spheres of influence, North Korea remained closely aligned with both countries throughout the Cold War. Industry was the favored sector in North Korea. Industrial production returned to pre-war levels by 1957. In 1959, relations with Japan had improved somewhat, and North Korea began allowing
2538-546: A manner similar to elections in the Soviet Union . The Workers' Party of Korea is the ruling party of North Korea. According to Article 3 of the constitution, Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea. The means of production are owned by the state through state-run enterprises and collectivized farms . Most services—such as healthcare , education , housing , and food production —are subsidized or state-funded. North Korea follows Songun ,
2679-455: A moderator allows the magnox to run using natural uranium fuel, in contrast with the more common commercial light-water reactor which requires slightly enriched uranium . Graphite oxidizes readily in air, so the core is cooled with CO 2 , which is then pumped into a heat exchanger to generate steam to drive conventional steam turbine equipment for power production. The core is open on one end, so fuel elements can be added or removed while
2820-445: A new beryllium -based cladding, but this proved too brittle. This was replaced by a stainless steel cladding, but this absorbed enough neutrons to affect criticality, and in turn required the design to operate on slightly enriched uranium rather than the magnox's natural uranium, driving up fuel costs. Ultimately the economics of the system proved little better than Magnox. Former Treasury Economic Advisor, David Henderson , described
2961-465: A non-oxidising covering to contain fission products. Magnox is short for mag nesium n on- ox idising. This material has the advantage of a low neutron capture cross-section, but has two major disadvantages: Magnox fuel incorporated cooling fins to provide maximum heat transfer despite low operating temperatures, making it expensive to produce. While the use of uranium metal rather than oxide made reprocessing more straightforward and therefore cheaper,
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#17327723612213102-600: A number of its embassies. At the same time, North Korea sought to build relations with developed free market countries. North Korea joined the United Nations in 1991 together with South Korea . North Korea is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement , G77 and the ASEAN Regional Forum . As of 2015 , North Korea had diplomatic relations with 166 countries and embassies in 47 countries. North Korea does not have diplomatic relations with Argentina , Botswana , Estonia , France , Iraq , Israel , Japan , Taiwan ,
3243-455: A policy called Songun , or "military first". Flooding in the mid-1990s exacerbated the economic crisis, severely damaging crops and infrastructure and leading to widespread famine that the government proved incapable of curtailing, resulting in the deaths of between 240,000 and 420,000 people. Which led many North Koreans to flee into China, South Korea and neighboring countries. In China, these illegal North Korea child immigrants are called
3384-556: A policy of "strategic patience", resisting making deals with North Korea. Tensions with South Korea and the United States increased in 2010 with the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island . On 17 December 2011, Kim Jong Il died from a heart attack . His youngest son Kim Jong Un was announced as his successor. In the face of international condemnation, North Korea continued to develop its nuclear arsenal, possibly including
3525-431: A quarter of UK's generating needs. Although Sir John Cockcroft had advised the government that electricity generated by nuclear power would be more expensive than that from coal, the government decided that nuclear power stations as alternatives to coal-fired power stations would be useful to reduce the bargaining power of the coal miners' unions, and so decided to go ahead. In 1960 a government white paper scaled back
3666-413: A rate of about 6 kg per year. The reactor fuel was replaced between April and June 2005. The spent nuclear fuel has been reprocessed with an estimated yield of about 24 to 42 kg of plutonium metal, some of which was used for the nuclear weapons involved in the 2006 and 2009 North Korean nuclear tests . Nyongbyon is also the site of a 50 MWe Magnox prototype power reactor, but construction
3807-459: A result of the war, almost every substantial building in North Korea was destroyed. Some have referred to the conflict as a civil war, with other factors involved. A heavily guarded demilitarized zone (DMZ) still divides the peninsula, and an anti-communist and anti-North Korea sentiment remains in South Korea. Since the war, the United States has maintained a strong military presence in
3948-410: A result, 65% of Korea's heavy industry was located in the north, but, due to the rugged terrain, only 37% of its agriculture. Northern Korea had little exposure to modern, Western ideas. One partial exception was the penetration of religion. Since the arrival of missionaries in the late nineteenth century, the northwest of Korea, and Pyongyang in particular, had been a stronghold of Christianity. As
4089-777: A result, Pyongyang was called the "Jerusalem of the East". A Korean guerrilla movement emerged in the mountainous interior and in Manchuria, harassing the Japanese imperial authorities. One of the most prominent guerrilla leaders was the Communist Kim Il Sung . After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel , with
4230-413: A switchyard and connections to transmission line were made along with facilities presumably used for maintenance and repair. Activity that suggests components were being transferred to the building were noted too. In 2018, it was believed that the preliminary testing of the reactor had started and that the reactor would begin to operate 2018 or 2019. The reactor is linked to power grid with an expected output
4371-437: A turbine to generate electricity, or as process heat in the nearby Windscale works, was seen as a kind of free by-product of an essential process. The Calder Hall reactors had low efficiency by today's standards, only 18.8%. The British government decided in 1957 that electricity generation by nuclear power would be promoted, and that there would be a building programme to achieve 5,000 to 6,000 MWe capacity by 1965,
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4512-518: Is Paektu Mountain , a volcanic mountain with an elevation of 2,744 meters (9,003 ft) above sea level. Considered a sacred place by North Koreans, Mount Paektu holds significance in Korean culture and has been incorporated in the elaborate folklore and personality cult around the Kim family. For example, the song, "We Will Go To Mount Paektu" sings in praise of Kim Jong Un and describes a symbolic trek to
4653-574: Is 25 to 30 megawatts, which is enough to supply electricity for about 50,000 inhabitants. As of May 2024, intermittent cooling water flows indicate pre-operational tests are probably being conducted. In February 2012, North Korea announced that it would suspend uranium enrichment at Nyongbyon, and not conduct any further tests of nuclear weapons while productive negotiations involving the United States continue. Additionally, North Korea would allow IAEA inspectors to monitor operations at Nyongbyon. The U.S. reaffirmed that it does not have hostile intent toward
4794-454: Is a totalitarian dictatorship with a comprehensive cult of personality around the Kim family . Amnesty International considers the country to have the worst human rights record in the world. Officially, North Korea is an "independent socialist state " which holds democratic elections ; however, outside observers have described the elections as unfair, uncompetitive, and pre-determined, in
4935-777: Is a country in East Asia . It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean Demilitarized Zone . The country's western border is formed by the Yellow Sea , while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan . North Korea, like its southern counterpart , claims to be
5076-435: Is a type of nuclear power / production reactor that was designed to run on natural uranium with graphite as the moderator and carbon dioxide gas as the heat exchange coolant. It belongs to the wider class of gas-cooled reactors . The name comes from the magnesium - aluminium alloy (called mag nesium n on- ox idising), used to clad the fuel rods inside the reactor. Like most other generation I nuclear reactors ,
5217-457: Is called Safestore. A 130-year Deferred Safestore Strategy was also considered, with an estimated cost saving of £1.4 billion, but not selected. In addition the Sellafield site which, amongst other activities, reprocessed spent magnox fuel, has an estimated decommissioning cost of £31.5 billion. Magnox fuel was produced at Springfields near Preston ; estimated decommissioning cost
5358-443: Is no longer structurally sound, which led to the development of the magnox alloy fuel cladding. Unfortunately, magnox is increasingly reactive with increasing temperature, and the use of this material limited the operational gas temperatures to 360 °C (680 °F), much lower than desirable for efficient steam generation. This limit also meant that the reactors had to be very large in order to generate any given power level, which
5499-402: Is the cornerstone of party works and government operations. Juche , part of the larger Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism along with Songun under Kim Jong Un, is viewed by the official North Korean line as an embodiment of Kim Il Sung's wisdom, an expression of his leadership, and an idea which provides "a complete answer to any question that arises in the struggle for national liberation". Juche
5640-462: Is £371 million. The total cost of decommissioning magnox activities is likely to exceed £20 billion, averaging about £2 billion per productive reactor site. Calder Hall was opened in 1956 as the world's first commercial nuclear power station, and is a significant part of the UK's industrial heritage. The NDA is considering whether to preserve Calder Hall reactor 1 as a museum site. All
5781-491: The CEGB and operated on commercial fuel cycles. However Hinkley Point A and two other stations were modified so that weapons-grade plutonium could be extracted for military purposes should the need arise. In early operation it was found that there was significant oxidation of mild steel components by the high temperature carbon dioxide coolant, requiring a reduction in operating temperature and power output. For example,
Nyongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center - Misplaced Pages Continue
5922-580: The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that North Korea appeared to have restarted the 5 MW reactor. The Nyongbyon facility was described in 2013 as operating the following ten sub-branches: 39°48′00″N 125°45′14″E / 39.800°N 125.754°E / 39.800; 125.754 North Korea North Korea , officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( DPRK ),
6063-700: The Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). In 1897, King Gojong proclaimed the Korean Empire , which was annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1910. From 1910 to the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was under Japanese rule . Most Koreans were peasants engaged in subsistence farming . In the 1930s, Japan developed mines, hydro-electric dams, steel mills, and manufacturing plants in northern Korea and neighboring Manchuria . The Korean industrial working class expanded rapidly, and many Koreans went to work in Manchuria. As
6204-475: The Kim family is the current Supreme Leader or Suryeong of North Korea. He heads all major governing structures: he is the general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs . His grandfather Kim Il Sung, the founder and leader of North Korea until his death in 1994, is the country's " eternal President ", while his father Kim Jong Il who succeeded Kim Il Sung as
6345-789: The Kotjebi . In 1996, the government accepted UN food aid. The international environment changed once George W. Bush became U.S. President in 2001. His administration rejected South Korea's Sunshine Policy and the Agreed Framework. Bush included North Korea in his axis of evil in his 2002 State of the Union Address . The U.S. government accordingly treated North Korea as a rogue state , while North Korea redoubled its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons. On 9 October 2006, North Korea announced it had conducted its first nuclear weapons test . U.S. President Barack Obama adopted
6486-521: The Latina reactor was derated in 1969 by 24%, from 210 MWe to 160 MWe, by the reduction of operating temperature from 390 to 360 °C (734 to 680 °F). The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) announced on 30 December 2015 that Wylfa Unit 1 – the world's last operating Magnox reactor – was closed. The unit had generated electricity for five years longer than originally planned. Two units at Wylfa were both scheduled to shut down at
6627-530: The People's Republic of China . The UNC, led by the United States, intervened to defend the South, and rapidly advanced into North Korea. As they neared the border with China, Chinese forces intervened on behalf of North Korea, shifting the balance of the war again. Fighting ended on 27 July 1953, with an armistice that approximately restored the original boundaries between North and South Korea, but no peace treaty
6768-543: The September 2018 inter-Korean summit , North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and South Korean leader Moon Jae-In signed the "Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018" The agreement states, among other things, that the North Korean government will only dismantle Nyongbyon if the US would engage in correlative action. As of January 2019, Nyongbyon's main facilities did not appear to be operating. However, in August 2021,
6909-783: The South on 25 June 1950, and swiftly overran most of the country. The United Nations Command (UNC) was subsequently established following the UN Security Council 's recognition of North Korean aggression against South Korea. The motion passed because the Soviet Union , a close ally of North Korea and a member of the UN Security Council, was boycotting the UN over its recognition of the Republic of China rather than
7050-461: The Soviet Union in 1963, operational since 1965. The reactor fuel is IRT-2M type assemblies of 10%, 36% and 80% enriched uranium . As the center has not received fresh fuel since Soviet times, this reactor is now (February 2007) only run occasionally for experiments or to produce isotopes, particularly iodine-131 for thyroid cancer radiation therapy . In 2009, the building of a small indigenous experimental light water reactor started. In 2010,
7191-636: The United States , and Ukraine . Germany is unusual in maintaining a North Korean embassy. German Ambassador Friedrich Lohr says most of his time in North Korea involved facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid and agricultural assistance to a population plagued by food shortages. North Korea enjoys a close relationship with China which is often called North Korea's closest ally. Relations were strained beginning in 2006 because of China's concerns about North Korea's nuclear program. Relations improved after Xi Jinping , General Secretary of
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#17327723612217332-527: The Yellow Sea and Korea Bay , and to its east lies Japan across the Sea of Japan . Early European visitors to Korea remarked that the country resembled "a sea in a heavy gale" because of the many successive mountain ranges that crisscross the peninsula. Some 80 percent of North Korea is composed of mountains and uplands, separated by deep and narrow valleys. All of the Korean Peninsula's mountains with elevations of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) or more are located in North Korea. The highest point in North Korea
7473-453: The advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) with the explicit intention of making the system more economical. Primary among the changes was the decision to run the reactor at much higher temperatures, about 650 °C (1,200 °F), which would greatly improve the efficiency when running the power-extracting steam turbines . This was too hot for the magnox alloy, and the AGR originally intended to use
7614-507: The advanced gas-cooled reactor , which is similarly cooled but includes changes to improve its economic performance. The UK's first full-scale nuclear reactor was the Windscale Pile in Sellafield . The pile was designed for the production of plutonium-239 which was bred in multi-week reactions taking place in natural uranium fuel. Under normal conditions, natural uranium is not sensitive enough to its own neutrons to maintain
7755-542: The cooling tower at its main atomic reactor in the complex. The implosion was witnessed by a number of international journalists and diplomats. The demolition of the 60-foot (18 m)-tall cooling tower, which carried off waste heat to the atmosphere, is a response to U.S. concessions after the North delivered a declaration of its nuclear programs to be dismantled. The United States paid the US$ 2.5 million demolition fee. During 2008 tensions resurfaced between North Korea and
7896-428: The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, when all Soviet aid was suddenly halted. An internal CIA study acknowledged various achievements of the North Korean government post-war: compassionate care for war orphans and children in general, a radical improvement in the status of women, free housing, free healthcare, and health statistics particularly in life expectancy and infant mortality that were comparable to even
8037-545: The state ideology . Pyongyang's international isolation sharply accelerated from the 1980s onwards as the Cold War came to an end. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 then brought about a sharp decline to the North Korean economy. From 1994 to 1998, North Korea suffered a famine with the population continuing to suffer from malnutrition. In 2024, the DPRK formally abandoned efforts to peacefully reunify Korea . North Korea
8178-461: The 1960s. Despite improvements to the design in later decades as electricity generation became the primary operational aim, magnox reactors were never capable of competing with the higher efficiency and higher fuel burnup of pressurised water reactors . In total, only a few dozen reactors of this type were constructed, most of them in the UK from the 1950s to the 1970s, with very few exported to other countries. The first magnox reactor to come online
8319-526: The 1972 July 4 South–North Joint Statement that established principles of working toward peaceful reunification. The talks ultimately failed because in 1973, South Korea declared its preference that the two Koreas should seek separate memberships in international organizations. The Soviet Union was dissolved on 26 December 1991, ending its aid and support to North Korea. In 1992, as Kim Il Sung's health began deteriorating, his son Kim Jong Il slowly began taking over various state tasks. Kim Il Sung died of
8460-434: The AGR programme as one of the two most costly British government-sponsored project errors, alongside Concorde . Source: The first magnox reactors at Calder Hall were designed principally to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons . The production of plutonium from uranium by irradiation in a pile generates large quantities of heat which must be disposed of, and so generating steam from this heat, which could be used in
8601-615: The Allied Military Government . In April 1948, an uprising of the Jeju islanders was violently crushed. The South declared its statehood in May 1948 and two months later the ardent anti-communist Syngman Rhee became its ruler. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established in the North on 9 September 1948. Shtykov served as the first Soviet ambassador, while Kim Il Sung became premier. Soviet forces withdrew from
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#17327723612218742-635: The Chinese Communist Party and Chinese President visited North Korea in June 2019. North Korea continues to have strong ties with several Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia , and Indonesia . Relations with Malaysia were strained in 2017 by the assassination of Kim Jong-nam . North Korea has a close relationship with Russia and has voiced support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine . Magnox Magnox
8883-406: The DPRK resumed the reprocessing of spent fuel to recover plutonium on 25 April 2009 in response to the UN's condemnation of its recent rocket launch . This material supplemented that used for nuclear weapons testing. In 2009, North Korea announced its intention to build an indigenous experimental light water reactor (LWR) and the uranium enrichment technology to provide its nuclear fuel. In 2010,
9024-464: The DPRK, and is prepared to improve bilateral relationships. Nuclear enrichment was presumably resumed following the collapse of the Leap Day Deal. In March 2013, North Korea announced that they would be restarting operation of the 5 MWe experimental reactor. In order to do so, the disabled secondary cooling system will have to be restored. On 15 September 2015, North Korea announced that
9165-632: The Director General stated that he could not provide an update on the disabling of the facilities, as it was not undertaken by the IAEA. All fuel rods from the 5 MWe Experimental Nuclear Power Plant and nuclear material generated by the disabling of the Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Plant were under IAEA containment and surveillance. On 27 June 2008 North Korea destroyed the most visible symbol of its nuclear weapons program –
9306-476: The Nimonic springs used contained cobalt, which became irradiated giving high gamma level when removed from the reactor. Additionally, thermocouples were attached to some elements and needed to be removed on fuel discharge from the reactor. The dual-use nature of the magnox design leads to design compromises that limit its economic performance. As the magnox design was being rolled out, work was already underway on
9447-472: The North in 1948, and most American forces withdrew from the South in 1949. Ambassador Shtykov suspected Rhee was planning to invade the North and was sympathetic to Kim's goal of Korean unification under socialism. The two successfully lobbied Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to support a quick war against the South, which culminated in the outbreak of the Korean War. The military of North Korea invaded
9588-643: The One-Ideology System") which establishes standards for governance and a guide for the behaviors of North Koreans. The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), a communist party led by a member of the Kim family , has an estimated 6.5 million members and is in control of North Korean politics. It has two satellite parties, the Korean Social Democratic Party and the Chondoist Chongu Party . Kim Jong Un of
9729-545: The SPA Standing Committee, whose Chairman ( Choe Ryong-hae since 2019) is the third-ranking official in North Korea. Deputies formally elect the chairman, the vice chairpersons and members of the Standing Committee and take part in the constitutionally appointed activities of the legislature: pass laws, establish domestic and foreign policies, appoint members of the cabinet, review and approve
9870-501: The South which is depicted by the North Korean government as an imperialist occupation force. It claims that the Korean War was caused by the United States and South Korea. In October 2024, North Korea claims that 1.4 million people have joined its military after accusing South Korea of a drone intrusion. In response, South Korea is restricting leaflet launches near the border to prevent potential conflict, while both sides engage in psychological warfare, including disturbing broadcasts at
10011-529: The State, including major policies of the State, and to carry out the directions of the president of the commission, Kim Jong Un. The SAC also directly supervises the Ministry of Defence , Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Social Security . Legislative power is held by the unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). Its 687 members are elected every five years by universal suffrage , though
10152-478: The U.S. due to disagreements over the six-party talks disarmament process. On 8 October 2008, IAEA inspectors were forbidden by the North Korean government to conduct further inspections of the site. However two days later the U.S. removed North Korea from the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list and the Nyongbyon deactivation process resumed. According to the state-run North Korean news agency KCNA website,
10293-742: The UK's magnox reactor sites (apart from Calder Hall) are operated by Magnox Ltd , a subsidiary of the NDA. Reactor Sites Management Company (RSMC), a NDA Site Licence Company (SLC), originally held the contract to manage Magnox Ltd on behalf of the NDA. In 2007, RSMC was acquired by American nuclear fuel cycle service provider EnergySolutions from British Nuclear Fuels . On 1 October 2008, Magnox Electric Ltd separated into two nuclear licensed companies, Magnox North Ltd and Magnox South Ltd. Magnox North sites Magnox South sites In January 2011 Magnox North Ltd and Magnox South Ltd recombined as Magnox Ltd . Following procurement and management issues with
10434-541: The Yongbyon nuclear site is in full operation, including the 5 MWe experimental reactor. However, satellite imagery in April 2016 suggested it was not operating at a high power level. Infra-red imagery analysis covering from September 2016 to June 2017 showed that the 5 MWe experimental reactor had either not been operated, or operated at a low-level. The Radiochemical Laboratory had operated intermittently. During
10575-621: The armistice was interrupted by border skirmishes, celebrity abductions, and assassination attempts. The North failed in several assassination attempts on South Korean leaders, such as in 1968 , 1974, and the Rangoon bombing in 1983; tunnels were found under the DMZ and tensions flared over the axe murder incident at Panmunjom in 1976. For almost two decades after the war, the two states did not seek to negotiate with one another. In 1971, secret, high-level contacts began to be conducted culminating in
10716-444: The border. The post-war 1950s and 1960s saw an ideological shift in North Korea, as Kim Il Sung sought to consolidate his power. Kim Il Sung was highly critical of Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev and his de-Stalinization policies and critiqued Khrushchev as revisionist. During the 1956 August Faction Incident , Kim Il Sung successfully resisted efforts by the Soviet Union and China to depose him in favor of Soviet Koreans or
10857-485: The building programme to 3,000 MWe, acknowledging that coal generation was 25% cheaper. A government statement to the House of Commons in 1963 stated that nuclear generation was more than twice as expensive as coal. The plutonium credit which assigned a value to the plutonium produced was used to improve the economic case, although the operators of the power stations were never paid this credit. Once removed from
10998-413: The channel and out the back of the reactor where they fell into a pool of water. The system was designed to work at low temperatures and power levels and was air-cooled with the help of large fans. Graphite is flammable and presents a serious safety risk. This was demonstrated on 10 October 1957 when Unit 1 of the now two-unit site caught fire. The reactor burned for three days, and massive contamination
11139-588: The complete gas circuit, are much lower. In all, 11 power stations totalling 26 units were built in the United Kingdom where the design originated. In addition, one was exported to Tōkai in Japan and another to Latina in Italy. North Korea also developed their own magnox reactors, based on the UK design which was made public at an Atoms for Peace conference. The first magnox power station, Calder Hall ,
11280-414: The conflict with pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese dissenters, and Korea's centuries-long struggle for independence. Juche was introduced into the constitution in 1972. Juche was initially promoted as a "creative application" of Marxism–Leninism , but in the mid-1970s, it was described by state propaganda as "the only scientific thought... and most effective revolutionary theoretical structure that leads to
11421-487: The costs of the magnox programme. Later reviews criticised the continuing development project by project instead of standardisation on the most economical design, and for persisting with the development of a reactor which achieved only two export orders. A retrospective evaluation of costs, using a low 5% discount rate on capital, estimated magnox electricity costs were nearly 50% higher than coal power stations would have provided. The magnox reactors were considered at
11562-505: The cult of personality, particularly surrounding Kim Il Sung, has been crucial for legitimizing the family's hereditary succession. The control the North Korean government exercises over many aspects of the nation's culture is used to perpetuate the cult of personality surrounding Kim Il Sung, and Kim Jong Il. While visiting North Korea in 1979, journalist Bradley Martin wrote that nearly all music, art, and sculpture that he observed glorified "Great Leader" Kim Il Sung, whose personality cult
11703-539: The design) would not cause large-scale fuel failure as the Magnox cladding would retain the bulk of the radioactive material, assuming the reactor was rapidly shutdown (a SCRAM ), because the decay heat could be removed by natural circulation of air. As the coolant is already a gas, explosive pressure buildup from boiling is not a risk, as happened in the catastrophic steam explosion at the Chernobyl accident . Failure of
11844-475: The differences between the stations; for example, nearly every power station used a different design of magnox fuel element. Most of the magnox builds suffered time overruns and cost escalation. For the initial start up of the reactor neutron sources were located within the core to provide sufficient neutrons to initiate the nuclear reaction. Other aspects of the design included the use of flux shaping or flattening bars or controls rods to even out (to some extent)
11985-454: The elections have been described by outside observers as similar to elections in the Soviet Union . Elections in North Korea have also been described as a form of government census, due to the near 100% turnout. Although the elections are not pluralistic , North Korean state media describes the elections as "an expression of the absolute support and trust of all voters in the DPRK government". Supreme People's Assembly sessions are convened by
12126-576: The end of 2012, but the NDA decided to shut down Unit 2 in April 2012 so that Unit 1 could continue operating in order to fully utilize existing stocks of fuel, which was no longer being manufactured. The small 5 MWe experimental reactor, based on the magnox design, at Yongbyon in North Korea , continues to operate as of 2016 . Magnox is also the name of an alloy —mainly of magnesium with small amounts of aluminium and other metals—used in cladding unenriched uranium metal fuel with
12267-603: The famine of the 1990s was partially caused by natural disasters out of Kim Jong Il's control. The song " No Motherland Without You ", sung by the North Korean army choir, was created especially for Kim Jong Il and is one of the most popular tunes in the country. Kim Il Sung is still officially revered as the nation's "Eternal President". Several landmarks in North Korea are named for Kim Il Sung , including Kim Il Sung University , Kim Il Sung Stadium , and Kim Il Sung Square . Defectors have been quoted as saying that North Korean schools deify both father and son. Kim Il Sung rejected
12408-587: The first reactor had been in use for nearly 47 years. The first two stations (Calder Hall and Chapelcross ) were originally owned by the UKAEA and primarily used in their early life to produce weapons-grade plutonium , with two fuel loads per year. From 1964 they were mainly used on commercial fuel cycles and in April 1995 the UK Government announced that all production of plutonium for weapons purposes had ceased. The later and larger units were owned by
12549-403: The first time since the 2017 crisis. In September 2022, North Korea passed a law that declared itself a nuclear state . On December 30, 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un provocatively declared South Korea a "colonial vassal state", marking a significant departure from the longstanding position of mutual claims over the entire Korean Peninsula by both North and South Korea. This statement
12690-584: The foreign embassies accredited to North Korea are located in Beijing rather than in Pyongyang . In the 1960s and 1970s, it pursued an independent foreign policy, established relations with many developing countries, and joined the Non-Aligned Movement . In the late 1980s and the 1990s its foreign policy was thrown into turmoil with the collapse of the Soviet Bloc . Suffering an economic crisis, it closed
12831-608: The future of communist society". Juche eventually replaced Marxism–Leninism entirely by the 1980s, and in 1992 references to the latter were omitted from the constitution. The 2009 constitution dropped references to communism and elevated the Songun military first policy while explicitly confirming the position of Kim Jong Il. However, the constitution retains references to socialism. The WPK reasserted its commitment to communism in 2021. Juche ' s concepts of self-reliance have evolved with time and circumstances, but still provide
12972-505: The gas flow through the individual channels whilst at power, but gas flow was adjusted by using flow gags attached to the support strut which located into the diagrid . These gags were used to increase flow in the centre of the core and to reduce it at the periphery. Principal control over the reaction rate was provided by a number (48 at Chapelcross and Calder Hall) of boron -steel control rods which could be raised and lowered as required in vertical channels. At higher temperatures, aluminium
13113-586: The groundwork for the spartan austerity, sacrifice, and discipline demanded by the party. Since the founding of the nation, North Korea's supreme leadership has stayed within the Kim family, which in North Korea is referred to as the Mount Paektu Bloodline . It is a three-generation lineage descending from the country's first leader, Kim Il Sung, who developed North Korea around the Juche ideology , and stayed in power until his death. Kim developed
13254-587: The leader was announced "Eternal General Secretary" and "Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission" after his death in 2011. According to the constitution, there are officially three main branches of government. The first of these is the State Affairs Commission (SAC), which acts as "the supreme national guidance organ of state sovereignty". Its role is to deliberate and decide the work on defense building of
13395-450: The legitimate government of the entire Korean Peninsula and adjacent islands. Despite its official title as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea", some observers have described North Korea's political system as a "hereditary dictatorship". It has also been described as a Stalinist dictatorship . Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism is the official ideology of North Korea and the WPK, and
13536-534: The magnox was designed with the dual purpose of producing electrical power and plutonium-239 for the nascent nuclear weapons programme in Britain . The name refers specifically to the United Kingdom design but is sometimes used generically to refer to any similar reactor. As with other plutonium-producing reactors, conserving neutrons is a key element of the design. In magnox, the neutrons are moderated in large blocks of graphite . The efficiency of graphite as
13677-476: The most advanced nations up until the North Korean famine . Life expectancy in the North was 72 before the famine which was only marginally lower than in the South. The country once boasted a comparatively developed healthcare system; pre-famine North Korea had a network of nearly 45,000 family practitioners with some 800 hospitals and 1,000 clinics. The relative peace between the North and South following
13818-628: The mountain. Other prominent ranges are the Hamgyong Range in the extreme northeast and the Rangrim Mountains , which are located in the north-central part of North Korea. Mount Kumgang in the Taebaek Range , which extends into South Korea, is famous for its scenic beauty. The coastal plains are wide in the west and discontinuous in the east. A great majority of the population lives in the plains and lowlands. According to
13959-442: The need to reprocess fuel a short time after removal from the reactor meant that the fission product hazard was severe. Expensive remote handling facilities were required to address this danger. The term magnox may also loosely refer to: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for the decommissioning of the UK magnox power plants, at an estimated cost of £12.6 billion. There has been debate about whether
14100-459: The neutron flux density across the core. If not used, the flux in the centre would be very high relative to the outer areas leading to excessive central temperatures and lower power output limited by the temperature of the central areas. Each fuel channel would have several elements stacked one upon another to form a stringer . This required the presence of a latching mechanism to allow the stack to be withdrawn and handled. This caused some problems as
14241-707: The northern half of the peninsula occupied by the Soviet Union and the southern half by the United States . Negotiations on reunification failed. Soviet general Terenty Shtykov recommended the establishment of the Soviet Civil Administration in October 1945, and supported Kim Il Sung as chairman of the Provisional People's Committee of North Korea , established in February 1946. In September 1946, South Korean citizens rose up against
14382-425: The notion that he had created a cult around himself and accused those who suggested this of " factionalism ". Following the death of Kim Il Sung, North Koreans were prostrating and weeping to a bronze statue of him in an organized event; similar scenes were broadcast by state television following the death of Kim Jong Il. Critics maintain that Kim Jong Il's personality cult was inherited from his father. Kim Jong Il
14523-404: The plant would have to run at much higher power levels, and in order to efficiently convert that power to electricity, it would have to run at higher temperatures. At these power levels, the fire risk is amplified and air cooling is no longer appropriate. In the case of the magnox design, this led to the use of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as the coolant. There is no facility in the reactor to adjust
14664-437: The pro-Chinese Yan'an faction . Some scholars believe that the 1956 August incident was an example of North Korea demonstrating political independence. However, most scholars consider the final withdrawal of Chinese troops from North Korea in October 1958 to be the latest date when North Korea became effectively independent. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, North Korea sought to distinguish itself internationally by becoming
14805-474: The reactor had been shut down. He added that the US welcomed the news, and was awaiting verification from the IAEA team. The next day, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei announced the UN's confirmation that the reactor had been shut down. On 18 July 2007, the IAEA confirmed that all five nuclear facilities at Nyongbyon had been shut down. In his Introductory Statement to the IAEA Board of Governors on 2008-03-03,
14946-502: The reactor is still running. The dual-use capability of the magnox design led to the UK building up a large stockpile of fuel-grade (reactor-grade) plutonium, with the aid of the B205 reprocessing facility . The low-to-interim burnup feature of the reactor design would become responsible for changes to US regulatory classifications after the US–UK reactor-grade plutonium detonation test of
15087-422: The reactor shutdown system to rapidly shut down the reactor, or failure of natural circulation, was not considered in the design. In 1967 Chapelcross experienced a fuel melt due to restricted gas flow in an individual channel and, although this was dealt with by the station crew without major incident, this event had not been designed or planned for, and the radioactivity released was greater than anticipated during
15228-454: The reactor, the used fuel elements are stored in cooling ponds (with the exception of Wylfa which has dry stores in a carbon dioxide atmosphere) where the decay heat is transferred to the pond water, and then removed by the pond water circulation, cooling and filtration system. The fact that fuel elements can only be stored for a limited period in water before the magnox cladding deteriorates, and must therefore inevitably be reprocessed , added to
15369-530: The reactors. For example, the most exposed members of the public living near Dungeness magnox reactor in 2002 received 0.56 mSv , over half the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended maximum radiation dose limit for the public, from direct shine alone. The doses from the Oldbury and Wylfa reactors, which have concrete pressure vessels which encapsulate
15510-463: The repatriation of Japanese citizens in the country. The same year, North Korea revalued the North Korean won , which held greater value than its South Korean counterpart. Until the 1960s, economic growth was higher than in South Korea, and North Korean GDP per capita was equal to that of its southern neighbor as late as 1976. However, by the 1980s, the economy had begun to stagnate; it started its long decline in 1987 and almost completely collapsed after
15651-586: The same divided country as their compatriots in the South, and foreign visitors are discouraged from using the former term. According to Korean mythology in 2333 BCE, the Gojoseon Kingdom was established by the god-king Dangun . Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under the name Unified Silla in 668 AD, Korea was subsequently ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and
15792-611: The second-ranking official after Kim Jong Un. The Premier represents the government and functions independently. His authority extends over two vice premiers, 30 ministers , two cabinet commission chairmen, the cabinet chief secretary, the president of the Central Bank , the director of the Central Bureau of Statistics and the president of the Academy of Sciences . North Korea, like its southern counterpart, claims to be
15933-422: The site in all directions would be less than six times the 10-degree limits. Planning permission constraints would be used to prevent any large growth of population within five miles. In the older steel pressure vessel design, boilers and gas ducting are outside the concrete biological shield. Consequently, this design emits a significant amount of direct gamma and neutron radiation , termed direct shine , from
16074-466: The site of the demolished cooling tower of the experimental Magnox reactor. Following the building of this experimental LWR, North Korea intends to build larger LWRs for electricity generation. Initial estimates were that the reactor would be put into operation in 2013, but the reactor was not externally complete until 2016. In 2017, several activities were noted involving construction, a dam was built to provide sufficient amount of water for cooling system,
16215-408: The site on 28 June to discuss verification and monitoring arrangements for the shutdown. This had been delayed from April due to a dispute with the United States over Banco Delta Asia . On 3 June an anonymous South Korean government official indicated that the shutdown may start following the first oil shipment later in the month. On 14 July, Sean McCormack stated that North Korea had told the US that
16356-736: The size of the confinement building down, the early magnox designs placed the heat exchanger for the CO 2 gas outside the dome, connected through piping. Although there were strengths with this approach in that maintenance and access was generally more straightforward, the major weakness was the radiation 'shine' emitted particularly from the unshielded top duct. The magnox design was an evolution and never truly finalised, and later units differ considerably from earlier ones. As neutron fluxes increased in order to improve power densities problems with neutron embrittlement were encountered, particularly at low temperatures. Later units at Oldbury and Wylfa replaced
16497-747: The socialist and Soviet-aligned Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the capitalist, Western-aligned Republic of Korea in the south. North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950 started the Korean War . In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire and established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), but no formal peace treaty has ever been signed. Post-war North Korea benefited greatly from economic aid and expertise provided by other Eastern Bloc countries. However, Kim Il Sung , North Korea's first leader, promoted his personal philosophy of Juche as
16638-529: The sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands . Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. The Korean Peninsula was first inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period. Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BCE. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century, Korea
16779-519: The state economic plan, among others. The SPA itself cannot initiate any legislation independently of party or state organs. It is unknown whether it has ever criticized or amended bills placed before it, and the elections are based around a single list of WPK-approved candidates who stand without opposition. Executive power is vested in the Cabinet of North Korea , which has been headed by Premier Kim Tok Hun since 14 August 2020, who's officially
16920-408: The station design. Despite the belief in their inherently safe design, it was decided that the magnox stations would not be built in heavily populated areas. The positioning constraint decided upon was that any 10-degree sector would have a population less than 500 within 1.5 miles (2.4 km), 10,000 within 5 miles (8.0 km) and 100,000 within 10 miles (16 km). In addition population around
17061-411: The steel pressure vessels with prestressed concrete versions which also contained the heat exchangers and steam plant. Working pressure varies from 6.9 to 19.35 bar for the steel vessels, and 24.8 and 27 bar for the two concrete designs. No British construction company at the time was large enough to build all the power stations, so various competing consortiums were involved, adding to
17202-487: The time to have a considerable degree of inherent safety because of their simple design, low power density, and gas coolant. Because of this they were not provided with secondary containment features. A safety design principle at the time was that of the "maximum credible accident", and the assumption was made that if the plant were designed to withstand that, then all other lesser but similar events would be encompassed. Loss of coolant accidents (at least those considered in
17343-584: The travel writings of the Dutch East India Company 's Hendrick Hamel . After the division of the country into North and South Korea, the two sides used different terms to refer to Korea: Chosun or Joseon ( 조선 ) in North Korea, and Hanguk ( 한국 ) in South Korea. In 1948, North Korea adopted Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( Korean : 조선민주주의인민공화국 , Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk ; listen ) as its official name. In
17484-471: The wider world, because its government controls the northern part of the Korean Peninsula , it is commonly called North Korea to distinguish it from South Korea, which is officially called the Republic of Korea in English. Both governments consider themselves to be the legitimate government of the whole of Korea . For this reason, the people do not consider themselves as 'North Koreans' but as Koreans in
17625-555: Was Calder Hall (at the Sellafield site) in 1956, frequently regarded as the world's first commercial nuclear power station, while the last in Britain to shut down was Reactor 1 in Wylfa (on Anglesey ) in 2015. As of 2016 , North Korea remains the only operator to continue using magnox style reactors, at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center . The magnox design was superseded by
17766-440: Was a key criterion for the design because its use of natural uranium leads to low burnup ratios and the requirement for frequent refuelling. For power use, the fuel canisters were left in the reactor as long as possible, while for plutonium production they were removed earlier. The complicated refuelling equipment proved to be less reliable than the reactor systems, and perhaps not advantageous overall. The entire reactor assembly
17907-644: Was also halted in 1994 in accord with the Agreed Framework. By 2005 reconstruction of this reactor was uneconomic. The reactor designs were based on declassified information about the British Magnox design at Calder Hall and elsewhere, and the spent fuel reprocessing plant on the multi-national European Company for the Chemical Processing of Irradiated Fuels (EUROCHEMIC) plant at Mol - Dessel in Belgium. On 13 February 2007, an agreement
18048-499: Was an initial small technology proving reactor for a following development program of larger Magnox reactors. The spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility appeared to still be under construction in 1992. The 5 MWe experimental reactor operated intermittently until 1994 when it was shut down in accordance with the U.S.-North Korea Agreed Framework . Following the breakdown of the Agreed Framework in 2002, operation restarted in February 2003, creating plutonium within its fuel load at
18189-562: Was followed by a call on January 15, 2024, for a constitutional amendment to redefine the boundary with South Korea as the 'Southern National Borderline,' further intensifying the rhetoric against South Korea. Kim Jong-un also stated that in the event of a war, North Korea would seek to annex the entirety of South Korea. North Korea occupies the northern portion of the Korean Peninsula , lying between latitudes 37° and 43°N , and longitudes 124° and 131°E . It covers an area of 120,540 square kilometers (46,541 sq mi). To its west are
18330-427: Was further amplified by the use of gas for cooling, as the low thermal capacity of the fluid required very high flow rates. The magnox fuel elements consisted of refined uranium enclosed in a loose-fitting magnox shell and then pressurized with helium . The outside of the shell was typically finned in order to improve heat exchange with the CO 2 . Magnox alloy is reactive with water, which means it cannot be left in
18471-450: Was halted in 1994 about a year from completion in accord with the Agreed Framework, and by 2004 the structures and pipework had deteriorated badly. This construction was being dismantled in 2010. Another 200 MWe Magnox full-scale power reactor was being constructed at Taechon , 20 km north-west of Nyongbyon, ( 39°55′41″N 125°34′08″E / 39.928°N 125.569°E / 39.928; 125.569 ) until construction
18612-399: Was often the center of attention throughout ordinary life. His birthday is one of the most important public holidays in the country . On his 60th birthday (based on his official date of birth), mass celebrations occurred throughout the country. Kim Jong Il's personality cult, although significant, was not as extensive as his father's. One point of view is that Kim Jong Il's cult of personality
18753-426: Was only avoided due to the addition of filtering systems that had previously been derided as unnecessary " follies ". As the UK nuclear establishment began to turn its attention to nuclear power , the need for more plutonium for weapons development remained acute. This led to an effort to adapt the basic Windscale design to a power-producing version that would also produce plutonium. In order to be economically useful
18894-427: Was placed in a large pressure vessel. Due to the size of the pile, only the reactor core itself was placed within the steel pressure assembly, which was then surrounded by a concrete confinement building (or biological shield ). As there was no water in the core, and thus no possibility of a steam explosion, the building was able to tightly wrap the pressure vessel, which helped reduce construction costs. In order to keep
19035-526: Was pronounced in December 1955 in a speech called On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work in order to emphasize a Korea-centered revolution. Its core tenets are economic self-sufficiency , military self-reliance and an independent foreign policy. The roots of Juche were made up of a complex mixture of factors, including the popularity of Kim Il Sung,
19176-514: Was reached at the Six party talks that North Korea will shut down and seal the Magnox nuclear reactor and associated facilities and invite back International Atomic Energy Agency personnel to conduct all necessary monitoring and verifications. In return for this North Korea will receive emergency energy assistance from the other five parties in the form of 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors arrived at
19317-556: Was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The succeeding Korean Empire (1897–1910) was annexed in 1910 into the Empire of Japan . In 1945, after the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II , Korea was divided into two zones along the 38th parallel , with the north occupied by the Soviet Union and the south occupied by the United States . In 1948, separate governments were formed in Korea:
19458-614: Was signed. Approximately 3 million people died in the Korean War, with a higher proportional civilian death toll than World War II or the Vietnam War . In both per capita and absolute terms, North Korea was the country most devastated by the war, which resulted in the death of an estimated 12–15% of the North Korean population ( c. 10 million), "a figure close to or surpassing the proportion of Soviet citizens killed in World War II ," according to Charles K. Armstrong . As
19599-525: Was solely out of respect for Kim Il Sung or out of fear of punishment for failure to pay homage, while North Korean government sources consider it genuine hero worship. As a result of its isolation, North Korea is sometimes known as the " hermit kingdom ", a term that originally referred to the isolationism in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty . Initially, North Korea had diplomatic ties only with other communist countries, and even today, most of
19740-454: Was the world's first nuclear power station to generate electrical power on an industrial scale (a power station in Obninsk, Russia started supplying the grid in very small non-commercial quantities on 1 December 1954). The first connection to the grid was on 27 August 1956, and the plant was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 17 October 1956. When the station closed on 31 March 2003,
19881-551: Was then being extended to his son, "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il. Claims that the family has been deified are contested by B. R. Myers: "Divine powers have never been attributed to either of the two Kims. In fact, the propaganda apparatus in Pyongyang has generally been careful not to make claims that run directly counter to citizens' experience or common sense." He further explains that the state propaganda painted Kim Jong Il as someone whose expertise lay in military matters and that
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