North Korea recently declared that "the day is near at hand" when the light-water reactor, at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, will become operational.
Analysts at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies said pictures from commercial satellites taken on April 12 and compared with images from December 24 show that work on the reactor containment building is nearly completed.
Construction cranes are visible in the images, along with stockpiles of construction equipment. Cooling pipes for the intake and discharge systems are also being laid.
The next step will be the introduction of components such as the pressure vessel, steam generators and pressurising equipment, which might take a further 12 months.
Completing associated construction, including the installation of electronics in the control room, may mean the reactor is not operational for to years, but the stepping up of the work indicates that Pyongyang is showing no signs of bowing to international pressure on its nuclear or missile programmes.
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Three weeks after the catastrophic failure of what Pyongyang claimed was a rocket to put a satellite into orbit, the regime vowed to push ahead with what it claims are peaceful space and nuclear programmes.
Pyongyang's defiance came after the five nations of the United Nations Security Council - significantly including China, North Korea's sole major ally - issued a statement expressing "serious concern" at North Korea's activities. The five governments called on the regime to "refrain from any further actions which may cause grave security concerns in the region, including any nuclear tests."
"The rapid construction of the plant may be an important indication of Pyongyang's intention to move forward as quickly as possible with its uranium enrichment effort - to produce fuel for the reactor and potentially fissile material for nuclear weapons," Joel Wit, a visiting fellow at the institute, wrote in a paper.
North Korea claims that its uranium enrichment programme is designed to provide low-enriched fuel for new light-water reactors, but it will also be able to produce weapons-grade uranium.
A second issue, Wit wrote, is the safety of the reactors.
"Whether North Korea's new reactors are designed or will be operated according to internationally accepted safety standards is another serious concern," he said. "Particularly in view of Pyongyang's past practices and the recent disaster at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant."
Pyongyang's defiance came after the five nations of the United Nations Security Council - significantly including China, North Korea's sole major ally - issued a statement expressing "serious concern" at North Korea's activities. The five governments called on the regime to "refrain from any further actions which may cause grave security concerns in the region, including any nuclear tests."
"The rapid construction of the plant may be an important indication of Pyongyang's intention to move forward as quickly as possible with its uranium enrichment effort - to produce fuel for the reactor and potentially fissile material for nuclear weapons," Joel Wit, a visiting fellow at the institute, wrote in a paper.
North Korea claims that its uranium enrichment programme is designed to provide low-enriched fuel for new light-water reactors, but it will also be able to produce weapons-grade uranium.
A second issue, Wit wrote, is the safety of the reactors.
"Whether North Korea's new reactors are designed or will be operated according to internationally accepted safety standards is another serious concern," he said. "Particularly in view of Pyongyang's past practices and the recent disaster at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant."
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