Seoul: The unification ministry announced on Tuesday that there has been no significant change in the radioactive levels in the Yellow Sea, following reports suggesting that North Korea may have discharged wastewater from a uranium refining facility in North Hwanghae Province.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Daily NK, a South Korean news outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, previously reported in June that North Korea had been operating a uranium refining facility in Pyongsan County and allegedly began dumping uranium waste into rivers that flow into South Korea. The unification ministry has been actively monitoring North Korea's nuclear activities, including operations at the Pyongsan facility, in collaboration with relevant government agencies.

A ministry official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that regular assessments of the radioactive levels in the Yellow Sea by the relevant agencies have shown no significant deviations. However, the official emphasized the importance of the issue due to its potential impact on public health and environmental safety, noting that the ministry is engaged in ongoing discussions with other agencies on how to address the situation.

In related developments, recent satellite imagery has revealed the construction of a suspected uranium enrichment facility at North Korea's main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang. This development, reported by Beyond Parallel, a U.S.-based monitoring program, suggests North Korea's potential efforts to expand its nuclear arsenal.