"A missile base in Yonglim, North Jiajia Province...ICBM regiment and brigade-level troops stationed"

The U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies' website Beyond Division announced on the 14th local time that North Korea was operating one of its previously undisclosed missile bases in Jagang Province.

According to the announcement, North Korea operates the Yonglim Missile Base in Jeoncheon County, central Jagang Province, 170 kilometers northeast of Pyongyang.

The distance from the Demilitarized Zone is 242km to the north and the distance from Seoul is 324km.

Beyond Farrell says the base is one of 15 to 20 ballistic missile bases that North Korea has yet to disclose, with regiment or brigade-sized troops operating intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

He also pointed out that the overall layout and design of Yonglim Base is similar to that of Sangnam-ri Missile Base.

It explains that the base headquarters, administrative facilities, and barracks are located at the entrance of the canyon, and there are vehicle entrances to move missiles and entrances to underground facilities at the high end of the canyon.

He added that based on satellite images, the base can be functionally classified into five spaces: entrance and checkpoint, headquarters and administrative facilities and houses, missile entrance facilities, underground facilities, and farming-related sites.

The construction of the base began in 1994, about 30 years ago, he said, adding, "The fact that the base began so long suggests that a considerable level of missile development plans were underway behind the scenes."

Additionally, it was estimated that the Yonglim missile base was one of the initial elements of North Korea's rear strategic ballistic missile belt plan, considering the location of the base and the timing of its construction.

The missile belt is part of a nationwide network of ballistic missiles under the leadership of the strategic rocket forces, which comprehensively operates North Korean missile power.