A vehicle large enough to carry an intercontinental ballistic missile has been spotted on a North Korean military parade training ground, a U.S. research agency says. This latest evidence suggests that Pyongyang may be using an upcoming political anniversary to demonstrate its missile technology.
Commercial satellite imagery on Tuesday showed a “possibly missile-related vehicle” at the Mirim Parade Training Ground outside Pyongyang, according to 38 North, a website dedicated to North Korea issues. North Korea usually rehearses its major military parades there.
The website said late Tuesday that “although the image resolution is not sufficient to accurately identify what the vehicle is, its relative size and shape suggest it may be a transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) for large missiles.
The vehicle is about 20 meters long and 3 meters wide. It is large enough to carry a Hwasong ICBM,” the site writes, “or it could be a mobile-erector-launcher (MEL) attached to a truck tractor.”
Satellite imagery shows that North Korea has been preparing for a big parade on Oct. 10 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK). Such a commemorative ceremony is a major event in a single-party, quasi-Stalinist dictatorship.
Some analysts predict that North Korea may unveil a new solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a military parade. Others say that Pyongyang may soon demonstrate a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) by test firing it.
Both of these technologies would add unpredictable new components to North Korea’s arsenal. Solid fuel missiles are easier to transport and require less time to prepare for launch, while SLBMs are equally mobile and more stealthy.
North Korea’s dramatic display of military might in the weeks leading up to the U.S. presidential election could be seen as provocative. President Trump has said he has “no problem” with North Korea’s short-range launch, but he may oppose a larger move by the North.
Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that he would soon demonstrate “a new strategic weapon. But since then, the DPRK has had to deal with severe flooding, continued international sanctions that have hampered its economic development, and a neo-crown virus pandemic that has spread around the world.
The DPRK continued to insist for months that no one in its territory was infected with the coronavirus, and then quietly abandoned that claim.
Preparations for this year’s parade appear to have been smaller than in previous years, most likely due to concerns about a new coronavirus pandemic.
Recent Comments