Created in 2013, the Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry (MAEI) of DPRK focuses on modernizing the country's atomic energy industry, enhancing the production and quality of nuclear materials, and developing a self-reliant nuclear industry. MAEI operates the daily functions of the DPRK's nuclear weapons program, overseeing numerous nuclear-related organizations and research centers, including the Isotope Application Committee, the Nuclear Energy Committee, and a nuclear research center at Yongbyon, the site of DPRK's recognized plutonium facilities. As per the 2015 Panel of Experts report, Ri Je Son, a former director of the GBAE, who was designated by the 1718 Committee in 2009 for engagement in nuclear-related programs, was appointed as the head of MAEI in 2014.