Nuclear-armed North Korea's state media said Tuesday the country has many thousands of centrifuges operating at its uranium enrichment plant, claiming the programme is for peaceful purposes.

"At this time, we are actively building a light water reactor and in order to meet the demand, we are operating a modern uranium enrichment system with many thousands of centrifuges," said the official news agency KCNA.

"Our nuclear energy development, which is for peaceful purposes and to solve the electricity demand, will be more active," it added, citing an editorial from the ruling communist party's newspaper the Rodong Sinmun.

Earlier this month a US scientist revealed he had been shown a new uranium enrichment plant equipped with at least 1,000 centrifuges at the North's Yongbyon nuclear complex outside the capital Pyongyang.

The news heightened international concern that the communist regime -- which has conducted two nuclear weapons tests -- could produce highly-enriched weapons-grade uranium on top of the plutonium already in its possession.

The scientist, Siegfried Hecker, called the facility "stunning", adding he was told it was already producing low-enriched uranium for a civilian nuclear electricity programme, but there was no way to confirm this.

earlier related report
US calls for tighter sanctions on North Korea
United Nations (AFP) Nov 29, 2010 - The United States on Monday called for tighter enforcement of UN sanctions against North Korea and urged China to play a "responsible" role in easing mounting tensions.

The United States will "confront the threat" posed by North Korea's new nuclear activities and its deadly attack last week on the rival South, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, told reporters.

The UN Security Council met on Monday to discuss efforts to implement sanctions ordered against the North after its nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

North Korea's reported construction of a uranium enrichment plant contravened the sanctions resolutions, Rice and Security Council president British ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said after the meeting.

Signaling a tougher US line, Rice said the United States expects UN experts "to intensify their important ongoing efforts to tighten sanctions enforcement."

The sanctions include an arms embargo and an asset freeze and travel ban against entities and individuals linked to North Korea's nuclear weapons drive. There is also a ban on exports of luxury goods to the North.

Rice said the United States would "work with the international community to maintain peace and security in this region as we simultaneously confront the threat posed by North Korea's ongoing nuclear activities."

She condemned last week's deadly attack on Yeonpyeong island in which four South Koreans died. "We continue to call on North Korea to cease its irresponsible actions against its neighbors," Rice said.

The United States looks "to China to play a responsible leadership role in working to maintain peace and security in that region," the ambassador added.

China is North Korea's closest international ally and its main trade partner.

"It is in China's interests, it is in the interests of the countries in the region, and we expect them to take steps that are consistent with their obligations and all of our obligations under UN Security Council resolutions," she added.

The Security Council has yet to hold a meeting on the Yeonpyeong attack. Diplomats said that daily consultations are being held on what the council can do, alongside contacts at government level between the five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The United States has not yet stated a position on China's call for six- nation talks on North Korea in Beijing in the coming days.

South Korea, the United States, China, Russia and Japan had been in talks with North Korea seeking to end its nuclear weapons program. The North pulled out of the negotiations in April 2009.

New details on North Korea's weapons capability have been released in some of the US diplomatic cables that the WikiLeaks website released to international media.

US intelligence believes Iran has obtained 19 long range missiles from North Korea that could strike Western Europe, according to US documents cited by the New York Times.

The documents also show frustration among US diplomats who have been pressing China to block shipments of missile parts from North Korea to Iran, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported.

A new six monthly report by a panel of experts on the UN sanctions against North Korea was presented at Monday's Security Council meeting, but no details were released.

China for several months blocked publication of the last report, which said North Korea was suspected of providing Iran, Syria and Myanmar with nuclear help.

The panel of experts complained in that report that not enough countries were reporting on their efforts to apply the sanctions.