Fengxili nuclear test site
After North Korea announced a "major" test last weekend, American commercial satellites recently found signs of restarting the Fengxili nuclear test site abandoned by North Korea last year.
South Korea’s "Central Daily News" quoted the US North Korea website "38 North" as saying on December 11 that "traces of cars and people passing by were found at the Fengxili nuclear test site", saying that "the tunnel area closed by the nuclear test site has not been observed before, but in the photos taken between November 18 and December 7, you can see traces of cars passing by and footprints of people on the snowy road".
38North said, "It is still impossible to judge the significance of these activities, but at least it can show that North Korea may have left some personnel at the nuclear test base as it did in March this year." The media also said in March this year that "some slight footprints were found around the closed tunnel area, but no reconstruction trend was found at the scene". However, only footprints were found in March this year, but now there are traces of cars passing by. The situation is slightly different.
The Central Daily News reported that from these slight signs, it is still impossible to judge that North Korea is restarting its nuclear test base. However, the South Korean authorities believe that North Korea can complete the restoration of the nuclear test site within weeks or months.
In April 2018, North Korea decided that it would suspend its nuclear test and intercontinental ballistic missile launch test from April 21 of the same year, and it would abandon the Fengxili nuclear test site in northern North Korea.
On May 24, last year, North Korea blasted several tunnels in the test site and dismantled related facilities, officially announcing the abandonment of the nuclear test site. According to Xinhua News Agency, an international press group composed of 10 overseas media reporters from China, Russia, the United States, Britain and South Korea covered the demolition activities at the scene.
However, since the breakdown of the "Golden Specialist Meeting" in Hanoi in February this year, the denuclearization negotiations between the DPRK and the United States have reached a deadlock. In April this year, Kim Jong-un, the top leader of North Korea, limited himself to the end of the year and asked the US to come up with a new constructive plan in line with the interests of both sides. Otherwise, North Korea will take a new path.
On December 8, North Korea announced that it had successfully conducted an "extremely significant test" at the Xihai satellite launch site. North Korea did not disclose the specific content of the test, but it is speculated that it may involve intercontinental missile engine technology. The outside world is worried that North Korea may restart intercontinental missile tests and other activities at the end of the year. (Reporter Nan Boyi)