Sinpho South Shipyard: Activity at the Secure Boat Basin

Recent commercial of North Korea’s Sinpho South Shipyard indicates new activity at the secure boat basin. Since September 18, the submersible test barge has been repositioned within the basin. On imagery from September 29, a large, white cylindrical object was observed on the quay next to the test barge, along with a possible truck–mounted crane. The purpose of this object is unclear, but it is roughly 11.5 meters long, and around 1.4 meters wide, which is similar to the Pukguksong-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile. While this could indicate preparations for a forthcoming test, it may be unrelated as well. In September 2020, a similar white, cylindrical object of comparable size was observed—reported in a UN Panel of Experts Report—but no test took place around that time.   

Figure 1. Activity at Sinpho South Shipyard.