까마귀 날자 배떨어진다 스타일 38노쓰, 잭 리우 제니 타운 38 north ; North Korea’s Tongchang-ri: Rebuilding Commences on Launch Pad and Engine Test Stand

트럼프가 한미군사훈련을 하지 않겠다고 했는데, 김정은이 론치 패드와 엔진 테스트 스탠드 고쳐서 미사일 시험을 재개할 리가 없다. 이는 북측의 외교 기본 교과서이자 전술이다.  38 노쓰 팀 저자들이야 다들 각자 나름대로 견해가 있겠지만, 인공위성 사진으로 평양 정부의 정치적 의도까지는 읽어내긴 힘들어 보인다. 

한국 정부가 천문학적 세금을 쏟아부어 만든 고흥 우주 발사 공간을 다시 고치고 수리한다면 그 목적이 무엇이겠는가?

하노이 북미회담이 '노딜'로 끝났다고 해서, 이제 야구로 치면 한 2회말쯤 끝났는데, 점수도 0:0인데, 9회말 다 끝난 것처럼 그런 먹구름 분위기를 자아낼 필요없다.

 

글쓴이 : 잭 리우, 제니 타운

North Korea’s Tongchang-ri: Rebuilding Commences on Launch Pad and Engine Test Stand

BY: 38 NORTH

MARCH 5, 2019

A 38 North exclusive with analysis by Jack Liu and Jenny Town

Reports of a recent briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) to the National Assembly’s intelligence committee noted that North Korea has started restoring structures on the rocket launch pad at its Sohae Satellite Launching Station (Tongchang-ri).

The North had previously started to dismantle the rail-mounted transfer building on the launch pad along with the engine test stand last year at the beginning of US-DPRK negotiations. 

While progress was quick at first, both the launch pad and engine test stand had remained in about the same condition since August 2018.

 However, based on commercial satellite imagery, efforts to rebuild these structures started sometime between February 16 and March 2, 2019.

On the launch pad, the rail-mounted transfer building is being reassembled. 

Two support cranes are observed at the building, the walls have been erected and a new roof added. The walls appear to be one segment taller than the previous transfer building and new truss is being installed. 

The materials that have been stacked on the pad over the past few months are gone.

Figure 1. Rail-mounted transfer building is being rebuilt.

Image © 2019 DigitalGlobe, Inc. All rights reserved. 

For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.

At the engine test stand, it appears that the engine support structure is being reassembled. 

Two cranes are present and construction materials are spread across the stand’s apron. New roofs have been installed on the fuel and oxidizer buildings and what appear to be possible trailers are observed on the apron.

Figure 2. Engine support structure of the engine test stand is being reassembled.

Image © 2019 DigitalGlobe, Inc. All rights reserved. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.