Commercial satellite imagery from March 31 indicates probable new excavation activity at the South Portal of Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site. Snow patterns on the March 31 image indicate heavily trafficked roads around the South Portal and surrounding southern support area, whereas roads to the other portals remain snow covered. What appears to be a new spoil pile has formed across from the Tunnel No. 3 complex (as designated by North Korean diagrams, aka, the South Portal [see
Figure 8 of 38 North’s report from
May 2018]) leading to an area just east of the former tunnel entrance that was exploded as part of site dismantlement efforts in 2018. While some reports have suggested North Korea is trying to
build a shortcut to these test tunnels, it seems more likely it has chosen to excavate into a stable point rather than digging through the fractured rock around the former entrance.
<통일·북한 정보 아카이브>
HOME
카카오톡
페이스북
블로그