North Korea expands missile plant used by Russia against Ukraine – Reuters

North Korea is expanding a key weapons production complex that assembles the type of short-range missiles used by Russia in Ukraine, researchers from an American think tank have concluded based on satellite images, Reuters reports. UNN.

Details

The plant, known as the February 11 plant, is part of the Ryongsong Machinery Complex in Hamhin, North Korea’s second-largest city, on the country’s east coast.

Sam Lehr, a research fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies in Monterey, said it is the only plant known to produce Hwasong-11 solid-fuel ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian officials say the munitions, known in the West as KN-23, were used by Russian forces during the attack on Ukraine.

The expansion of the complex was not previously reported.

Both Moscow and Pyongyang deny that North Korea has transferred weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022.

North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

“Satellite images taken in early October by the commercial satellite firm Planet Labs show what appears to be an additional assembly building under construction, as well as new living quarters, likely intended for workers, according to an analysis by CNS researchers,” the paper writes. .

It is also reported that Pyongyang appears to be improving entrances to some of the complex’s underground facilities.

A derelict overhead crane that sat in front of the tunnel entrance, blocking easy access, has been removed, suggesting they may be focusing on that part of the facility, Lehr said.

“We see this as a suggestion that they are significantly increasing or trying to significantly increase the capacity of this plant,” Lehr said.

The new assembly building is said to be about 60 to 70 percent the size of the previous building used to assemble the missiles.

In 2023, state media released images seen by Reuters of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walking through new buildings at a compound in Hamhin where workers were assembling tail assemblies and nose fairings for what analysts said was the KN-23.

In the past, publicly released videos by North Korean state media show everything from tank wheels to rocket engine housings being made at the complex, Lehr said.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has fired thousands of missiles. Relying on North Korea for additional supplies could ease the strain on its own production capacity, Lehr said.

North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported that construction is underway at the Ryongsong Machine Building Complex.

KCNA reported this month that the facility is “moving forward with projects to achieve the modernization goal planned for this year.”

Researchers at SI Analytics, a South Korean satellite imaging company that uses AI technology to scan images, also confirmed new construction at the “Feb. 11 factory,” saying in a report on Monday that some of the construction near the payload area is likely to be used to hide future plant operations from satellites.

“Given the presence of numerous construction materials, vehicles and open freight cars loaded with materials around the site, construction is apparently progressing quickly,” the company said. The report said the plant was used to produce ballistic missiles, not named KN-23.

Michael Duitzman, also a CNS scientist, said it’s possible the new construction seen in the satellite images could be a storage facility, but he thinks it’s more likely a new prefab building.

SI Analytics said Monday that it also discovered new construction at the nearby Vinalon complex on Feb. 8, which is believed to be producing ballistic missile fuel.

Joseph Dempsey, a military analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said North Korea’s expansion of short-range ballistic missile facilities is likely to be motivated primarily by a desire to increase the country’s own arsenal.

According to him, it is unclear to what extent Pyongyang could expand its production capacity to meet the demands of the new cooperation with Moscow.

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We will remind

Experts of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Examinations (KNDISE) established that during the combined attack on Ukraine on November 13, Russia used, among other things, North Korean ballistic missiles of the KN-23/24 type.

According to KNDISE experts, KN-23 combines both modern technologies and solutions of the past century. A significant percentage of microelectronics is produced in China, Taiwan, the USA and other countries. Most likely, the launches are carried out from North Korean-made launchers, since it would be much more difficult to adapt Russian systems.

Let’s add

Earlier, KNDISE experts spoke about the technical features of North Korean missiles, which Russia uses to attack Ukraine.