Kim Jong-un Visits West Sea Rocket Launch Site... Suggests 'ICBM Launch Capability' (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, visited the West Sea Satellite Launching Station, capable of launching long-range rockets that can be repurposed as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and ordered the reconstruction of the satellite rocket launch facility.

Amid recent statements by South Korean and U.S. authorities that the ballistic missiles launched by North Korea were tests for ICBMs, the fact that General Secretary Kim also visited the West Sea launch site capable of ICBM launches suggests that the possibility of breaking the 'moratorium' is becoming a reality.

Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on the 11th, "Comrade Kim Jong-un conducted an on-site inspection of the West Sea Satellite Launching Station."

The agency stated, "The General Secretary toured various parts of the West Sea Satellite Launching Station, presented goals for the reconstruction and modernization of the satellite launch site, and revealed specific directions and methods for its implementation."

The West Sea Satellite Launching Station is a site capable of launching long-range rockets that can be repurposed as ICBMs, and General Secretary Kim ordered facility expansion and new construction. KCNA explained, "The General Secretary analyzed and evaluated the current state of the West Sea Satellite Launching Station and set tasks to modernize and expand it so that various multipurpose satellites, including military reconnaissance satellites, can be launched with diverse carrier rockets, and to newly establish several elements of the launch site."

In particular, he instructed the reconstruction and expansion of the launch site area and rocket final assembly and integration test facilities to enable the launch of large carrier rockets. He also ordered the expansion of fuel injection facilities and supply systems, modernization of launch control facilities and key technical posts, enhancement of the engine ground firing test site (rocket engine test site) capabilities, ensuring the convenience of carrier rocket transportation, improvement of the ecological environment around the launch site, and the establishment of an outdoor launch observation area.

Kim Jong-sik, Deputy Director of the Military Industry Department, and Jang Chang-ha, Director of the National Defense Science Institute, accompanied the inspection.

Meanwhile, on the same day, South Korean and U.S. authorities announced that the two ballistic missiles recently launched by North Korea are assessed as part of a new ICBM test disguised as space launch vehicles. The Ministry of National Defense stated, "According to precise analysis by South Korea and the U.S., the ballistic missiles launched by North Korea on the 27th of last month and the 5th of this month are related to a new ICBM system," adding, "Although the recent two test launches did not reach the range of an ICBM, it is judged that North Korea intended to test the performance of the missile, disguised as a space launch vehicle, ahead of a future maximum range test launch."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.