Joel Wit, a former State Department satellite imagery analyst and a highly regarded American expert on North Korea currently at 38 North, spoke on Tuesday at ASP about North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and American policy responses to them.  At the same time his organization, 38 North, published portions of his observations in regards to North Koreas nuclear testing site.

Recent satellite imagery of North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site has revealed new tunneling work being done at the West Portal area, the site of the 2009 and possibly 2013 nuclear tests. This activity appears to have begun by late April 2013 and gathered momentum over the next few months. Imagery from June 1 shows a large new spoil and tailings dumpsite along the road between the West Portal and the old dump site that went into a canyon to the east. The light gray color of the new spoil/tailings indicates that it is rock from inside the mountain and not the surrounding brown dirt.

You can find the whole article here.

Event summaries on the imagery analysis and Mr. Wit’s policy observations can be found on the American Security Project website.

Share on Facebook

Tweet