Satellite images reveal construction at base near MDL

A screen capture from the NK News website shows changes made to the Rinsan air base [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Satellite imagery revealed renovation work at a North Korean air base near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), NK News reported Wednesday.

New construction activity was detected at the Nuchon-ri air base in Rinsan County, North Hwanghae Province, based on satellite imagery captured by U.S. commercial company Planet Labs, NK News reported.

A Soviet-era aircraft previously stationed at the base disappeared in the last week of March. A blue-roofed structure, believed to house construction workers, appeared southwest of the runway in April.

NK News added that Soviet-made Mi-2 helicopters had frequently operated from the base in the past. The air base is about 48 kilometers (30 miles) north of the MDL.

Subsequent satellite images also showed that buildings have been demolished throughout the base, and excavation work is taking place near a nearby river.

A village consisting of around 20 homes, built only about three years ago, along with several air force buildings next to the base’s 2.5-kilometer runway, also disappeared.

NK News said the "purpose of the new construction project is not yet clear."

However, it suggested the work could be part of North Korea’s ongoing efforts to renovate its air bases.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un publicly acknowledged the aging state of the country’s air force in late 2022 and has since focused on developing unmanned systems such as reconnaissance and attack drones.

“The only known base hosting the new drones is Panghyon, but more could still be converted, like in Rinsan,” NK News said.

If the Rinsan base is converted into a drone facility, it could effectively position drone assets close to the MDL.

North Korea is believed to be building a mass production system for Shahed-type drones after acquiring related technology from Russia, which imported the Iranian-designed drones during the war in Ukraine.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.