North Korea is reinforcing major underground military sites as engagement with South Korea and the United States breaks down and Pyongyang adopts a more confrontational posture according to the Asia Times. Facing a technological and military gap against the U.S. and South Korean Armed Forces, the Korean People’s Army (KPA) is strengthening tunnel networks designed to store ballistic missiles and safeguard leadership in the event of war.
![North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a combined strike drill involving long-range artillery and missile systems on May 8, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency. [KCNA]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1021-missile.jpg)
Three core underground bases — Sinpung-dong, Hoejung-ni, and Yongjo-ri — illustrate Pyongyang’s planning for a large-scale conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The Sinpung-dong base lies roughly 27 kilometers from the Chinese border beneath the Pugo Mountains, which are described as narrow and nearly impassible. Construction began in 2004, and the facility became fully operational in 2014. Inside are concrete missile-storage structures believed to house systems including the Hwasong-15 and Hwasong-18. In August 2025, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released satellite images providing new insight into the base. According to CSIS, these missiles could be deployed by the Korean People’s Army Strategic Force (KPASF) from approved launch sites if war breaks out with the U.S.–ROK alliance or Japan.
The Hoejung-ni missile base, approximately 25 kilometers from the Chinese border, is positioned in a way that could deter U.S.–ROK strikes due to the risk of damage spilling into China and drawing the Chinese military into a conflict. Construction in Chagang province began around 2003, and the base became operational in 2021. Designed for a regiment-sized KPASF unit, Hoejung-ni includes two underground storage facilities and two fortified checkpoint bunkers. Dense terrain provides additional concealment for missile operations and deployment.
The Yongjo-ri complex, also about 27 kilometers from the Chinese border, is one of North Korea’s older strategic sites. Civilians were reportedly removed in the mid-1990s under Kim Il Sung to convert the area into a large military base. Yongjo-ri contains 12 tunnels — six for missile storage and six for KPASF personnel and leadership. The site stores Nodong medium-range missiles, and with an estimated five to six compartments in each tunnel, it may hold 30–36 missiles. Instead of fixed platforms, Yongjo-ri uses mobile launchers. U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies also suspect the site may be involved in uranium enrichment.
These underground complexes operate within broader missile “belts” across North Korea. The tactical belt near Wonsan and Haeju serves as the first line of defense and includes launch sites for short-range offensive missiles. The operational belt surrounding Pyongyang contains medium- and long-range systems. The strategic belt houses intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the continental United States. Numerous underground facilities throughout these belts serve as backup options for the KPASF if hardened locations are destroyed in conflict.
Analysts note that the missile sites showcased in state media represent only the facilities the regime intends to reveal publicly. Meanwhile, South Korea, Japan, and the United States continue to identify additional hidden bases through satellite imagery, human intelligence (HUMINT), and open-source analysis. The placement of multiple underground bases near China demonstrates Pyongyang’s intent to use spillover risk as a deterrent against American strikes while reinforcing its broader militarization strategy — one that has led observers to describe North Korea as among the most heavily militarized states in the world.
BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
