New satellite imagery has revealed the construction of a maritime pier at North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station, a key site for the regime’s satellite and missile testing activities. The facility, situated on the country’s west coast, has hosted numerous rocket launches, including North Korea’s most recent attempts to deploy military reconnaissance satellites. According to ICEYE, a commercial satellite operator, the new pier will allow for the transport of larger rocket components than previously possible by rail, potentially enabling launches of longer-range projectiles.
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In 2022, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the modernisation and expansion of the Sohae site to facilitate a broader range of rocket launches, including those capable of carrying spy satellites. The station has been central to North Korea’s space ambitions, with launches that bear striking technological similarities to intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development, as noted by South Korean and US officials. A satellite image from 9 July reveals a newly completed jetty and several docked vessels, suggesting the pier may now be operational and ready to enhance Sohae’s logistical functions.
Work continues to improve the site’s surrounding infrastructure, including expanded road and rail access. Satellite images captured by Planet Labs from December to July document the pier’s construction timeline, while analysis from 38 North – a Washington-based programme monitoring North Korea – confirms steady progress. ICEYE estimates that the pier took roughly 28 months to build, from initial reports to its present state. Meanwhile, Pyongyang’s failed spy satellite launch in May 2024 has not deterred Kim Jong Un, who remains committed to advancing the project for what he claims are defensive purposes.
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South Korean officials suggest that North Korea is receiving support from Russia in developing its satellite programme, reportedly in return for supplying military personnel to assist Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. Pyongyang maintains that all military development, including nuclear weapons and satellite capabilities, is a matter of sovereign self-defence. It continues to denounce the United States and its allies for what it calls “hostile policies”, including sanctions and joint military drills near the Korean Peninsula.
