N. Korea said to be building new naval base for SLBMs

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is in the midst of building a new naval base on the east coast to accommodate submarines capable of firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), a British military media agency said Sunday.

According to the report by IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, North Korea is currently building the new military facility at a location some 2.25 kilometers from Sinpo Shipyard, the homeport of North Korea's ballistic missile submarine program, in South Hamgyong Province.

The existing shipyard currently houses 2,000-ton Sinpo-class submarines, which have been used by North Korea to test-fire SLBMs.

The purpose of the new naval base is presumed to be housing submarines larger than the Sinpo-class, the report added.

Sources earlier said Pyongyang is known to be developing a 3,000-ton submarine that can carry more than three SLBMs. The existing Sinpo-class submarine can hold only one SLBM at a time.

A South Korean military official said the country has been eyeing the construction, adding it is currently making efforts to find out the detailed background of the project.

colin@yna.co.kr
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