A U.S.-based think tank has uncovered a previously unknown North Korean missile facility that may serve as a critical hub for nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified the Sinpung-dong Missile Operating Base, located just under 27 km (17 miles) from the Chinese border in North Pyongan Province, via satellite imagery and open-source analysis. The site is believed to contain vaults for six to nine ICBMs, potentially models such as the Hwasong-15 or Hwasong-18, or perhaps a newer class not yet publicly declared.
The concealed nature of the base and its omission from previous denuclearization talks marks a strategic oversight. Built beginning in 2004 and operational since around 2014, the site features underground storage and hardened missile “checkout” bays that facilitate rapid deployment of mobile launchers. In a crisis, the missiles stored here could be moved swiftly to pre-surveyed launch positions, evading preemptive targeting.
This facility is only one among 15–20 undeclared missile operating bases that CSIS has identified across North Korea, none formally acknowledged by Pyongyang. These bases likely form the backbone of the country’s strategic missile infrastructure, enabling survivability and readiness through a network of hardened, dispersed sites.
The implications are profound. Analysts warn that North Korea may already possess around 50 nuclear warheads, with the capacity to produce more. The addition of solid-fueled ICBMs like the Hwasong-18, which are quicker to launch and harder to detect poses a growing threat, including potential reach to the U.S. mainland.
