North Korea Suspends Nuclear Reactor, Raising Concerns over Bomb Fuel Extraction

North Korea has reportedly halted the operation of its nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex, likely to extract plutonium for use in weapons. South Korean and U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that this move could be a sign of reprocessing work to obtain weapons-grade plutonium. North Korea has previously suspended and restarted the reactor, making it difficult to confirm the purpose of the current halt. The country claims to be a nuclear state, with estimates suggesting it may possess enough plutonium to build 20 or more weapons. Concerns remain about the possibility of another nuclear test as part of North Korea's ongoing efforts to develop miniaturized nuclear warheads.