NIS: "North Korea Preparing ICBMs Targeting South Korea, US, Japan... Accelerating Military Cooperation with Russia"

NIS Identifies Signs of ICBM Launch Preparation
Military Reconnaissance Satellite Expected to Launch Late August to Early September
"Russian Military Working Group Arrives in Pyongyang"

The National Intelligence Service reported that North Korea is preparing various provocations, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), targeting the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit or the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises.

Yoo Sang-beom, a member of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee from the People Power Party, stated in a press briefing that the National Intelligence Service reported this during the National Assembly Intelligence Committee meeting that day.

Rep. Yoo said, "Activities of vehicles supporting ICBM launches have been actively detected, and signs of ICBM launch preparations continue to be identified, such as frequent propellant ejections at the liquid fuel factory. Vehicle activity at solid missile production facilities is also unusually active, and joint exercises including missile launches capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads are expected."

North Korea held a student night event at the Pyongyang Arch of Triumph Square on the 15th to commemorate the 78th anniversary of Liberation Day, according to the Korean Central News Agency on the 16th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the meeting, the National Intelligence Service reported, "Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, demanded the completion of technical preparations for a military reconnaissance satellite as the top priority task for the second half of the year. North Korea is preparing for this, and if the defects of the previously failed military reconnaissance satellite are smoothly corrected, there is a possibility of launch at the end of August or early September to boost the atmosphere for the 75th anniversary of its founding on September 9."

Rep. Yoo also revealed, "Signs were detected that a Russian working-level delegation entered Pyongyang to coordinate military cooperation issues." He added, "It is judged that the Russian Defense Minister held a private meeting with Kim Jong-un to discuss broad military cooperation plans. Russia is believed to have proposed the sale of artillery missiles and joint military exercises, while North Korea is understood to have requested technical analysis including Western weapons and repairs of outdated equipment."

On June 1-2, Russian personnel visited North Korea by military aircraft to discuss implementation measures of the agreement, and on the 8th, a Russian transport plane was detected exporting unidentified military supplies from Pyongyang. Rep. Yoo said, "The National Intelligence Service expects military cooperation between Russia and North Korea to accelerate and is closely monitoring the situation, keeping in mind the possibility of Russia transferring core nuclear missile technologies to North Korea."

Regarding Russian technical cooperation, Rep. Yoo stated, "Democratic Party member Kim Byung-gi expressed concerns about the advancement of North Korea's nuclear missile-related technologies such as submarine construction technology, submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launch technology, and ICBM terminal technology through close cooperation between Russia and North Korea." He added, "The National Intelligence Service also expressed concerns about the possibilities arising from close military cooperation between Russia and North Korea."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Information about North Korea's internal situation was also conveyed. Rep. Yoo said, "From 2020 to 2022, there has been three consecutive years of negative growth, and compared to 2016, the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 decreased by 12%, indicating a vicious economic cycle. Starvation deaths are estimated at around 240 cases, more than double the recent five-year average of about 110 cases." The number of defectors was also counted at about 90 this year, three times higher than in 2022.

He continued, "There have been frank complaints and collective protests against the Kim Jong-un family and party policies, especially among the market generation, leading North Korean authorities to establish an ad hoc task force under regional party branches dedicated to identifying dissenters."

Rep. Yoo reported that North Korea is preparing to open its border with China to revitalize its struggling economy. He said, "Train operations have increased from once to twice a day since May, and some customs offices have opened since June. They are promoting trade revitalization and are accepting early repatriation of offenders, which is a top demand from China, and are pushing for the return of thousands, including students studying abroad."

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