North Korea has built a secret missile site close to its border with China, possibly holding some of its most advanced long-range nuclear weapons, according to new research published on Wednesday. The “undeclared” Sinpung-dong Missile Operating Base is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the Chinese border, according to a report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The report says the site likely contains six to nine nuclear-powered intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and their launchers. It warns that these weapons could pose a nuclear threat to East Asia and even the United States.
CSIS said this is the first detailed, open-source confirmation of Sinpung-dong. It mentions that the base is part of about 15 to 20 similar missile sites, maintenance areas, storage centers, and warhead facilities that North Korea has never officially declared. The report notes that the base hasn’t been involved in any past talks on denuclearization between the U.S. and North Korea. According to CSIS, the missiles and launchers could be moved out during emergencies or conflicts, team up with special forces, and launch from different parts of the country, making them harder to track. The base, along with similar sites, forms a key part of North Korea’s growing strategy in ballistic missiles, and its increasing ability to deter and strike with nuclear weapons.
Since the 2019 summit with the U.S. collapsed, North Korea has increased its nuclear program. The meeting between North Korea’s leader and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi failed because the two sides could not agree on what North Korea would give up in return for lifting sanctions. Since then, Kim Jong Un has pushed for “rapid expansion” of his country’s nuclear power and has declared North Korea an “irreversible” nuclear state.
Russia-North Korea relations have raised new concerns.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, North Korea has grown closer to Moscow. South Korean and Western intelligence agencies report that North Korea sent over 10,000 soldiers to Russia in 2024, mainly to the Kursk region, along with artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems. Washington has said there is evidence that Russia is helping North Korea with advanced space and satellite technology, in return for North Korea’s support in the war. Analysts point out that the technology used in satellite launchers and ICBMs is similar.
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