A man watches a TV news program showing a file picture of a missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, July 13, 2014. North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the sea on Sunday, South Korea said, the latest in a series of test-firings seen as expressions of anger over the North’s failure to win talks on receiving outside aid, and over ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills. AP FILE PHOTO
WASHINGTON — A website that monitors North Korea says the isolated nation may be exploring how to launch ballistic missiles from submarines or ships.
The North would still be years away from deploying such missiles, but the finding adds to concern over its weapons development.
An analysis published Tuesday by the website 38 North cites recent satellite imagery showing a 12-meter (39-foot)- tall structure on a concrete base that might be used for testing how a missile would eject from a launch tube as on a submarine.
The test stand is at the east coast site of Sinpo, where North Korea has a naval shipyard and research institute.
Last week, the commander of US forces in Korea said Pyongyang may be capable of fielding a nuclear-armed missile that could reach US soil.
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