Recent satellite images appear to show construction at North Korea’s nuclear testing facility, nearly four years after the country claimed to have closed the site.
Images taken on Friday by commercial satellite firm Maxar Technologies and analysis by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies show the potential activity at the nuclear test site at Punggye-ri.
The Associated Press this week also analyzed satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC. The photos seem to show two new structures appearing between last month and earlier this month. The images were taken Sunday.
It’s unclear how long it would take for North Korea’s nuclear site to be operational.
Jeffrey Lewis and Dave Schmerler at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies say the construction is the first activity they have seen at the site since May 2018. Nearly four years ago, North Korea invited a group of journalists to see the destruction of tunnels at the site, though other experts were not invited to the event to verify the destruction.
“We see very early signs of activity at the new site, including construction of a new building, repair of another building, and what is possibly some lumber and sawdust,” Lewis and Schmerler wrote.
“North Korea uses a substantial amount of wood at the site both for buildings and shoring up tunnels. These changes have occurred only in the past few days,” they added.
They also explained, “How long it would take North Korea to resume explosive testing at the site depends on the extent of the damage to the tunnels themselves, something we do not know with confidence.”
“It is also possible that North Korea will resume nuclear testing at another location,” they noted.
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The U.S. intelligence community’s annual threat assessment, which was released Tuesday, warned that there could be a new nuclear test by North Korean officials in 2022.
“In January, North Korea began laying the groundwork for an increase in tensions that could include (intercontinental ballistic missile) or possibly a nuclear test this year — actions that Pyongyang has not taken since 2017,” the assessment said.
North Korea has conducted multiple short-range missile tests over the last year, including one Friday. The U.S. in 2019 rejected negotiations with North Korea for sanctions relief in exchange for the country giving up parts of its nuclear capabilities.
Contributing: Associated Press
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