Jack Liu and Joseph Bermudez, Jr.
September 25, 2015
New Activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site
Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates new activity at North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site, the location of Pyongyang’s previous three nuclear detonations. While there has been speculation that the North intends to conduct a fourth nuclear test to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) on October 10, the purpose of this activity at this point remains entirely unclear. It could be related to anything from maintenance work to preparations for another nuclear test.
West Portal Area Commercial satellite imagery from September 18, 2015, indicates new activity at the West Portal area-site of North Korea’s nuclear tests in 2009 and 2013-around the entrance to a new tunnel that the North has been excavating since May 2013. Four large vehicles, the purpose of which is unknown, are parked side by side near the tunnel entrance. Whether their location next to the spoil cart tracks, used by mining carts to carry away spoil debris created during tunnel excavation is related to the ongoing work is unclear. Camouflage netting is also clearly visible over the entrance as is the usual practice to conceal activity.
In addition, there are an unusually large number of vehicles at the Guardhouse Checkpoint leading to the West Portal, also indicating ongoing activities in the area.
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