New North Korean base could host Hwasong-18 ICBMs, CSIS says

North Korea is reportedly building a new missile base in Sinpung-dong, North Pyongan Province, which is capable of launching the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other weapons.

On Aug. 20, Beyond Parallel, a North Korea-focused site operated by the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), released a report based on satellite imagery taken on July 11 that supports this claim.

According to the report, the Sinpung-dong missile base, located about 27 kilometers from the border with China, is an undisclosed ballistic missile facility. CSIS estimated that the site likely houses six to nine Hwasong-18 and Hwasong-15 ICBMs, or other unidentified ICBMs, along with mobile launchers, known as TELs, capable of firing them.

The report noted that the base, which houses a brigade-sized unit, could pose a nuclear threat not only to East Asia but also to the U.S. mainland. It added that in times of crisis or war, launch vehicles and missiles would leave the base to meet separate units responsible for storing and transporting nuclear warheads. They would likely carry out launch operations from pre-designated dispersed sites.

The Hwasong-18 is a solid-fueled ICBM with a short fueling time, giving it the capability for a surprise strike. In October last year, North Korea revealed a secret Hwasong-18 base capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. While the location was not specified, South Korean authorities analyzed that it was likely near Sunan, close to Pyongyang, the usual site for ICBM launches.

The report assessed that the Sinpung-dong base, along with other strategic missile sites such as Hwechon-ri, Sangnam-ri, Yongjo-ri, and Yongnim, is a key component of North Korea’s evolving ballistic missile strategy and nuclear strike capability. It added that these sites form part of North Korea’s rear missile belt.

The Sinpung-dong base is believed to have been under construction around 2004 and became operational by approximately 2014. According to CSIS, the decade-long construction demonstrates that North Korea has pursued missile base development plans over an extended period.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com