US plays down reports a North Korean rocket site had ‘returned to normal operational status’
- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last year agreed to shut the site – but satellite photos show otherwise
- US State Department official concedes some activity, but says it is not clear ‘why it’s happening and for what purpose’
The US State Department responded on Thursday to claims by North Korea observers that a partly dismantled rocket and satellite test site had restarted operations, saying that while commercial satellite imagery suggests some level of reassembly, it was too soon to draw conclusions.
The remarks by a senior State Department official came after the specialised website 38 North announced that such imagery showed operations at part of the Sohai Satellite Launching Station test facilities in Tongchang-ri had restarted in late February.
The official, who spoke at a press briefing on background, conceded that the images 38 North cited suggest some level of activity but that the US had not determined “why it’s happening and for what purpose it’s happening”.
The official added that “we are watching closely” for further developments.
Earlier in the day, 38 North and other North Korea watchers said that the long-range rocket launch site appeared to have resumed “normal operation status”, with work to rebuild the launch pad proceeding rapidly.
“Given that construction, plus activity at other areas of the site, Sohae appears to have returned to normal operational status,” 38 North said.