North Korea is pursuing an aggressive schedule to build its first operational ballistic missile submarine, U.S. institute reported citing images taken earlier this month. According to 38 North, the satellite images show activity at North Korea’s Sinpo South Shipyard.
“The continued movement of parts and components into and out of the parts yards adjacent to the construction halls indicates an ongoing shipbuilding program. The presence of what appear to be sections of a submarine’s pressure hull in the yards suggests construction of a new submarine, possibly the SINPO-C ballistic missile submarine – the follow-on to the current SINPO-class experimental ballistic missile submarine,” 38 North states.
Constant movements of parts and components into and out of two parts yards near the construction halls in the center of the shipyard have been noticed throughout 2017, the report says. Two large circular objects, that are thought to be sections of a submarine’s pressure hull, have been noticed on the images from November 5. According to the report, the objects were bigger than the ones for North Korea’s Romeo-class attack submarine. Still, the images do not indicate that are some kind of preparations for a new test of a submarine-launched missile.
Pyongyang wants to develop a nuclear-tipped missile which could reach the U.S. President Donald Trump has recently said that all options are under consideration so are the military ones too. North Korea has conducted dozens of tests during this year, but the last two months were calm. The last time Pyongyang did something was September 15, when it fired one missile over Japan, Reuters reports.
U.S. government source told The Diplomat last month that North Korea tested a new solid fuel engine in the period between October 15 and October 21, but intelligence officials did not comment that statement. The Diplomat has also reported that U.S. military intelligence had detected a new diesel-electric submarine under construction at Sinpo.
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