North Korea is expanding arms factory for Russia-Missile, say researchers
North Korea is expanding arms factory for Russia-Missile, say researchers
North Korea is expanding a weapon factory that produces rockets that are used by Russia in conflict against Ukraine, according to new research by a think tank based in the USA. The facility produces both KN-23 rockets (Hwasong-11a) and KN-24 rockets (Hwasong-11b), report researchers from the James Martin Center for nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury of International Studies.
location of the weapons factory
The factory is located in the second largest city in North Korea. Numerous visits to Kim Jong Un have already taken place, and North Korean state television has praised the mass production of tactical rockets.
Current attacks on Ukraine
Ukraine has recently been hit by a wave of Russian ballistic rocket attacks, about a third of which used North Korean weapons, according to Ukrainian military officers. Moscow and Pyongyang have also deepened their military relationships, which is reminiscent of the level of the Cold War. Among other things, this includes the New satellite images indicate that North Korea is expanding the work in Hamy and apparently building a second building for the final assembly of rockets and additional accommodations for workers. "It seems as if this is an attempt to increase the production capacity of the established production line," said Sam Lair, a research employee at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, to CNN. lair said that in recent years a significant expansion of the facility, which the North Korean authorities referred to as 'February-11-Werk', can be observed. The size of the work began to increase in 2020, and improvements were made routinely, such as the repair of old buildings and the exchange of roofs. The new building, probably intended for rocket assembly, indicates "that they not only want to improve an element of the production line, but actually want to expand it". North Korea also seems to increase the size of the workforce in the facility, based on Lair's analysis of Satellite images from Planet Labs recorded in October. "Shortly outside the factory security area, we see what looks like new residential buildings," he added. "We can recognize the foundations on the satellite images." The new assembly building for the rockets is estimated to be around 60% to 70% as large as the original building. Show recordings of the North Korean State Media-KCNA show kim jong un during a tour of the work in August 2023, where he was present during the assembly of Hwasong 11-class rockets. However, these recordings have now been removed by the state media websites. Russia this year has about 60 North Korean KN-23-Rakets (hwasong-11a) fired to Ukraine. At least 28 people killed attacks with North Korean missiles this year and injured 213, the Ukrainian Attorney General told CNN last week
earlier reports from cnn US and European components in the control systems of the KN-23 rockets pointed out that North Korea receives despite the sanctions. Essential parts used in these rockets come from nine western manufacturers, including companies from the United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, such as a Current report Ukraine (Nako) shows. Both Moscow and Pyongyang previously denied that North Korea exported weapons to Russia, although there are considerable evidence of such transfers. There are also concerns that Moscow violates international sanctions to support Pyongyang's military satellite program. In June, the two autocratic states signed a new Both undertake to use all available funds for immediate military support in the event of an attack by the other. Western officials have also warned that thousands of North Korean soldiers have joined the armed forces in order to recapture the region taken by Kiev as part of a surprise offensive this year. expansion of production capacities
enlargement of the workforce
weapons in Ukraine with KN-23 missiles
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