If N. Korea indeed started processing spent fuel rods for extracting plutonium, this means that N. Korea is panicking now.
I read from local S. Korean newspapers today that German doctor Norbert Vollertsen disclosed that there was indeed the defection of 20 prominent N. Koreans, some of whom went through the diplomatic mission of Nauru. He also mentioned that the Hudson Institute and CIA in America were involved in this project. A part of details were tipped off to an Australian reporter by one of the people involved. That is how the story got out. He said that it is only a "small part" of larger defection project of N. Korean elites, which is still in progress. Its ultimate objective is "the collapse of N. Korea regime" from within. He claimed that there are many N. Korean elites who are eager to get out. He was said to be communicating with them, using the contact established by him during his stay in N. Korea where he worked as a member of a German relief agency. I think that, if this report of the massive defection project is true, it could be another reason why N. Korea is panicking in recent days.
German Human Right Activist Vollertsen: "Ready For A Massive Defection of High Ranking N. Koreans"
This project is tricky. The NK Regime is on hair trigger military and mental.