Secret North Korean missile base near China could house nuclear ICBMs, report warns

A new study suggests North Korea has established a hidden missile facility close to its frontier with China that could host nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, said in a report released Wednesday that the so-called Sinpung-dong Missile Operating Base is situated roughly 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the Chinese border in North Pyongan Province.

Analysts believe the site may house between six and nine ICBMs along with their launch vehicles, warning that the weapons represent a potential nuclear threat not only to East Asia but also to the U.S. mainland.

Since the breakdown of nuclear talks with Washington in 2019, Pyongyang has pressed ahead with expanding its weapons programs. Leader Kim Jong-un has recently called for the accelerated development of nuclear forces, which he sees as central to deterring foreign pressure.

The CSIS study described Sinpung-dong as the first comprehensive, open-source confirmation of the facility, noting that it is among “15–20 missile bases and related infrastructure that North Korea has never publicly declared.” It added that the site has not been included in past U.S.–North Korea denuclearization discussions.

Researchers also assessed that in a crisis scenario, launchers and missiles from the base could be moved elsewhere in the country to carry out harder-to-track launches. Together with other undisclosed sites, the base forms part of what analysts call Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear deterrence and strike strategy.

Context
Kim’s summit with then-U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi collapsed in 2019 over sanctions relief demands, after which Pyongyang declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power.

North Korea has since strengthened ties with Moscow, reportedly sending thousands of troops and munitions to Russia during the Ukraine war. Western intelligence sources claim Russia is compensating by providing advanced space and satellite technology — expertise closely linked to ICBM development.