North Korea continues to dismantle missile launch site, but no signs of any moves to scrap nuclear weapons
Satellite images suggest work is continuing to demolish Sohae facilities, but analysts suggest it may want to keep other parts of its arsenal intact for now
North Korea appears to have taken another step towards dismantling its fixed missile launching facilities after the US stepped up the pressure to disarm, but so far it appears to have left other facilities and its nuclear warheads intact.
The hermit state appears to be continuing to take down its key intercontinental ballistic missile facilities (ICBM) at Sohae, located at about 200km (120 miles) northwest of the capital Pyongyang, according to the North Korea monitoring group 38 North on late Tuesday.
Pyongyang has torn down the steel base structure of its vertical engine test stand and removed fuel and oxidiser tanks from dismantled bunkers, satellite imagery from August 3 indicated.
Additional work was also observed at the launch pad, where two-thirds of the west wall and a third of the north wall has been removed.
Previously, 38 North had released satellite images taken on July 20 and 22 which suggested that North Korea had begun dismantling the two major facilities at the site – the rail-mounted processing building where launch vehicles are assembled, and the rocket engine test stand where liquid-fuel engines are developed.