N. Korea enriching uranium as leader`s health may be relapsing: S. Korea

SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be "definitely" pressing ahead
with uranium enrichment that would give it another means to build nuclear arms,
South Korea's defense chief said Tuesday.
Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee also said in a parliamentary hearing that recent
outside observations concerning North Korean leader Kim Jong-il could suggest he
is experiencing a relapse in his health.
Kim, 67, reportedly suffered a stroke in August last year but has since recovered
enough to reassert control over his secretive regime. Health experts say the risk
of a relapse is a threat among stroke patients.
"The military is intensely monitoring (the situation) while bearing in mind the
possibilities that Kim's health has degraded," Lee said, citing speculation that
North Korea recently used an old photo of Kim to fabricate a report about a
recent field inspection.
Lee professed his belief that North Korea is enriching uranium -- a second track
to developing a nuclear bomb.
"It seems it is definitely being pursued," he said.
"Uranium enrichment can be conducted in a space as small as 600 square meters,"
he said. "It is easier to hide than plutonium reprocessing."
North Korea vowed on June 13 to go ahead with uranium enrichment in anger over a
U.N. Security Council resolution that expands sanctions on it for its May 25
nuclear test.
Announcing it had achieved "enough success" in the development of uranium
enrichment technology, the North also said it will weaponize all new plutonium it
produces.
South Korea believes the North has about 40 kilograms of plutonium, enough to
produce at least six bombs.
North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006. South and North Korea
remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce rather
than a peace treaty.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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