North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a press conference, June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, North Korea, while Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the country for a two-day diplomatic visit. North Korea has... More Contributor/Getty Images
A joint investigation from the specialist outlet NK Pro and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation at the Middlebury Institute found that a decades-old building near Pyongyang was the location of a secret manufacturing operation of transporter erector launchers (TELs).
It is thought that the production had been ongoing since November 2023, or possibly even earlier.
The launchers are believed to be designed for Hwasong-11D short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) because they measure around 8.5 meters in length and 3 meters in width, according to the outlet.
Satellite imagery from Planet Labs reportedly shows around 49 thought-to-be TELs parked on a sports field at the Pyongyang building between November 8 and 9 last year. Some were reportedly removed about a week later, but 45 remained and weren't moved until early March. Some other vehicles spotted adjacent to the building were also moved in April.
No further possible TEL sightings were visible on the imagery, but the outlet noted there were long narrow objects laid out across several areas, suggesting the facility may still in have been use in June. READ MORE...
