Sohae Satellite Launching Station: Site Improvements Begin

On March 11, North Korean media reported on Kim Jong Un’s visit to the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, the country’s showcase space launch facility. In his remarks, he called for the modernization and expansion of the site to enable “large carrier rockets to be launched there” and to expand rocket engine testing capabilities.[1]

Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates limited new activity at Sohae, suggesting work to achieve Kim’s directives has begun. On March 22, the door to the main processing building on the rocket launch pad was open, and large piles of materials were observed, likely to be transferred inside. While the purpose of these materials is unclear, improving “facilities for the general assembly and trial gearing” of rockets was one of Kim’s directives. So far, activity seems to be limited to the launch pad area, although further modifications around the site are expected.

Kim’s Visit to Sohae

Since the last confirmed engine test at Sohae in December 2019, little activity has been observed at the space launch facility. Some construction has taken place over the past years in the housing area outside the secure perimeter, and last December, there were some possible fuel transfer activities at the Vertical Engine Test Stand (VETS) area. Overall, though, there has been little attention paid to this facility or mentions in North Korean state media since before the US-DPRK negotiations started in 2018.

On March 11, however, North Korean media reported Kim Jong Un’s recent visit to the Sohae Satellite Launching Station and instructing major modifications to modernize and expand its capabilities. His visit came after nine rounds of missile tests this year, at least two reportedly testing various components of reconnaissance satellites. Images of his visit showed Kim at the launch pad providing guidance to the site personnel. A large placard was positioned on the south side of the launch pad, a practice not uncommon at such high-profile events.

State media reported that Kim Jong Un’s plans to expand and modernize the Sohae facilities so that “various rockets could be launched to carry multi-purpose satellites.”[2] These tasks included:

  • Reconstructing and expanding facilities related to the “general assembly and trial gearing” of rockets and satellites;
  • Establishing additional facilities for “the injection and supply of fuel”;
  • Modernizing the “launch control facility and major technical posts”;
  • “Expanding the capacity” of the Vertical Engine Test Stand;
  • “Ensuring the convenience of carrier rocket transport”;
  • Improving the “ecological environment” of the launching ground; and
  • “Building a grandstand” in the safe zone.

Recent Activity

Imagery from March 11, the day Kim’s visit was reported, captured the presence of the placards on the launch pad and two small helicopters at the site’s helipad. No construction activity was observed around the site, just seasonal crop harvesting.

Figure 1. Placards on the launch pad on March 11, 2022.

Image © 2022 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact [email protected].

Figure 2. Two helicopters at the site’s helipad on March 11, 2022.

Image © 2022 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact [email protected].

No activity was observed in imagery from March 13; the placards were still on the launch pad, but the helicopters were gone.

Figure 3. No new activity at launch pad on March 13, 2022.

Image © 2022 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact [email protected].

By March 20, the placards from Kim’s visit had been removed, and five covered, unidentified objects or stacks of material were on the launch pad near the main processing building.

On March 22, the covered objects or material remain in place, and the door to the main processing building was observed open. While the purpose of these materials is unclear, improving “facilities for the general assembly and trial gearing” of rockets and satellites was one of the tasks issued, and therefore it is possible these materials will be moved inside.

Figure 4. Covered objects on launch pad on March 22, 2022.

Image © 2022 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact [email protected].

No substantial changes or activities have been observed at other key areas around Sohae to date, such as the VETS, the instrumentation area, the Horizontal Assembly Building and VIP areas, the administration and security areas, or even the National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) facilities.

Given that Kim’s plans are extensive, these changes are not likely to occur quickly, although they are likely to pick up in the near future.


  1. [1]

    “Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Inspects Sohae Satellite Launching Ground,” Rodong Sinmun, March 11, 2022.

  2. [2]

    Ibid.


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