MOSCOW (Sputnik) — North Korea is making progress on its Sinpo South Shipyard project, which will allow it to build more advanced ballistic missile submarines, a US-based monitoring project said, referring to recent satellite photos.
"Work on the launching way (i.e., ramp) and construction hall, 360 meters south of the secure boat basin, is now externally complete. The status of work inside the hall remains unclear, but when it is finished North Korea will be able to build and launch new submarines much larger than the existing GORAE-class—including a new class of ballistic missile submarines," the 38 North project said Wednesday.
Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test and put a satellite into orbit on February 7. The moves violated UN Security Council resolutions, prompting the United Nations to impose new sanctions on the North.
