North Korea halts nuclear reactor, likely to extract

North Korea has halted the nuclear reactor at its main atomic complex, probably to extract plutonium that could be used for weapons by reprocessing spent fuel rods.
The operation of the 5 megawatt nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear complex has been suspended since late September, according to intelligence assessment by U.S. and South Korean authorities.
“South Korea and the U.S. believe this could be a sign of reprocessing work being done to obtain weapons-grade plutonium.
Reprocessing of spent fuel rods removed from a nuclear reactor is a step taken before plutonium is extracted.
The Yongbyon nuclear complex is the North’s main source of plutonium that it likely has used to build nuclear weapons.
North Korea has also operated uranium enrichment facilities, which is a separate source of material that could be used for nuclear weapons.