The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified Sinpung-dong using satellite imagery, declassified intelligence, and interviews. Unlike other sites, the base lacks launch pads or air-defense systems, suggesting it is configured for mobile ICBMs with solid-propellant engines. These can be hidden in bunkers and deployed by large transporter erector launchers (TELs) on short notice.

North Korea already has 15 to 20 undeclared missile facilities, according to CSIS, but Sinpung-dong’s secrecy and scale make it unique. The report says Pyongyang continues construction to expand the site’s capacity.

Nuclear Warheads and Readiness

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates North Korea has about 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material for another 40. Warheads are usually stored separately from missiles to avoid accidental destruction but can be attached within 30 minutes at pre-surveyed sites near the base.

These advances mean North Korea could maintain its nuclear deterrent even under the threat of airstrikes. Solid-fuel technology, unveiled in Pyongyang’s newest ICBMs, allows missiles to remain on standby, giving adversaries minimal warning.

External Drivers: Iran and Ukraine

North Korea’s push to expand its missile infrastructure accelerated after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, sites reportedly built with North Korean assistance decades earlier. Kim Jong Un, describing nuclear weapons as the nation’s “treasured sword,” has emphasized that fortified underground bases reduce vulnerability to such attacks.

At the same time, Russia’s use of North Korean short-range, solid-fuel missiles in Ukraine has provided Pyongyang with valuable battlefield feedback. This real-world data strengthens North Korea’s ability to refine operational tactics for its longer-range arsenal.

Collapse of Diplomacy and Strategic Expansion

The revelation of Sinpung-dong comes against a backdrop of failed diplomacy. After the collapse of Trump–Kim talks in 2019, Pyongyang ended its moratorium on long-range testing and rolled out newer ICBMs capable of carrying multiple warheads. Since then, Kim has shown no interest in nuclear disarmament talks and instead called for a “rapid expansion” of the nuclear arsenal.

Pyongyang has also shifted much of its ICBM infrastructure to the country’s northwest, near the Chinese border, a move designed to deter U.S. strikes that could risk Chinese security.

Global Security Implications

The discovery reinforces the view that North Korea is entrenching itself as a nuclear-armed state with survivable capabilities. Its underground, concealed, and mobile missile infrastructure makes any military solution perilous, while diplomatic engagement has stalled.

With the U.S. and allies focused on containing Russian aggression and Chinese assertiveness, Pyongyang’s new revelation signals its intent to remain a central strategic wildcard in the Indo-Pacific.