September 30, 2023
Border Controls

North Korean jets sent to China may have been cargo planes, imagery suggests

New satellite imagery shows movement of 3 Air Koryo cargo planes, possibly to Shenyang airport on Monday

New satellite imagery shows all three of North Korea’s largest cargo jets have moved to a remote part of Pyongyang airport since Sunday, after an informed source told NK News the Air Koryo Il-76s went to Shenyang in China to pick up COVID-19-related supplies.

The Planet Labs imagery shows what appear to be three planes matching the dimensions of the Il-76s at the Shenyang airport on Monday morning as well, representing possibly the first visual evidence of the flights.