Kim Jong Un Said To Be Building Satellite Launch Pad With 'New Urgency'

A U.S.-based think tank report citing commercial satellite imagery revealed that construction at North Korea's satellite launching station had hit a "new level of urgency," signaling Kim Jong Un is likely preparing for a launch. 

What Happened: Kim's isolated nation earlier this month said it had completed its first military spy satellite, and the North Korean dictator had approved final preparations for a launch to place it in orbit without giving out exact details of the launch.

According to a report by 38 North, a Washington-based think tank that monitors North Korea, commercial satellite imagery from Monday revealed significant progress at a “remarkable pace” on a new launch pad located at Sohae Satellite Launching Station.

See Also: Kim Jong Un's Mouthpiece Slams US-South Korea Summit: May Trigger ‘Worst-Ever…Nuclear War'

“While the key components of the Sohae complex have been undergoing modernization and expansion over the past year, this uptick in activity suggests a new level of urgency in making the site ready to accommodate satellite launches,” the report said.

The recently observed new launch pad includes a rail-mounted assembly structure for positioning a rocket, as well as lighting towers and a tunnel designed to redirect flames. If the purpose of the launch pad is to support liquid-fueled rockets, further infrastructure will likely be required, the report added. 

See Also: US Should Tell Kim Jong Un That Washington Will Use Nuclear Weapons Without ‘Hesitation:’ Trump-Era National Security Chief

Why It Matters: The developments came after Pyongyang, earlier this year, said that it completed building its first military spy satellite and final preparations to launch the satellite were underway.

As part of a strategy to enhance and modernize the country's military capabilities, the North Korean leader highlighted a military reconnaissance satellite as a crucial defense project in a plan outlined in 2021.

Read Next: Trump Scratched ‘Made In South Korea’ Sticker Off Elton John CD Before Giving It To Kim Jong Un