A Secret Military Base in North Korea Raises Concerns of Nuclear Escalation

A new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington reveals the existence of a secret military base in North Korea near its border with China, believed to be used for storing long-range ballistic missiles, including intercontinental missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

According to the report, the undeclared base, known as "Sinbong-dong," is located in North Pyongan Province, northwest of the country, less than 27 kilometers from the border with China, raising questions about the complexity of security calculations in the region.

This report is the first open-source study confirming the existence of the base, which the center described as one of 15 to 20 missile bases and facilities not disclosed by North Korea, including facilities for maintenance, support, and storage of missiles and nuclear warheads.

The report warned that this base could pose a "serious nuclear threat" not only to East Asia but also to the American continent, in light of the increasing capabilities of Pyongyang's missile program.

This revelation comes at a time when the Korean Peninsula is experiencing rising tensions, especially after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently called for a "rapid expansion" of his country's nuclear capabilities, in a clear challenge to international pressures.

Since the failure of the summit between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi in 2019, North Korea continues to assert its commitment to its nuclear arsenal, declaring that it has become an "irreversible nuclear power."

The disclosure of this base brings back concerns about Pyongyang's true intentions and increases pressure on the international community to reassess its strategy in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue.