Seoul: The unification ministry has clarified to the United States that Unification Minister Chung Dong-young identified North Korea's Kusong region as the third location housing a uranium enrichment facility based on publicly available information, officials reported. This statement was in response to concerns regarding Chung's revelation during a parliamentary session in March.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung's announcement marked a rare disclosure of information about North Korea. He revealed that, in addition to known sites in Yongbyon and Kangson, another uranium enrichment facility exists in the northwestern region of Kusong. This assertion has reportedly led to a strong protest from the United States, with Washington expressing its intent to limit information sharing with Seoul concerning North Korea, as reported by the local newspaper DongA Ilbo.

The unification ministry reiterated that the identification of the Kusong site was based on publicly available data. Deputy Spokesperson Chang Yoon-jeong emphasized during a press briefing that the U.S. has been adequately informed about the context of Minister Chung's remarks and that there was no new information from other institutions regarding Kusong.

Addressing the reported protest from Washington, the deputy spokesperson stated that the ministry had explained the background of Chung's comments to the U.S. Embassy in Seoul upon the embassy's request. Chang highlighted that the ministry is not aware of any formal protest from the U.S. side or any limitations imposed on information sharing between South Korea and the U.S.