North Korea appears to be building more camouflaged missile launchpads near Kim family mansions in Pyongyang that have been used for multiple past missile tests, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, in a sign of more weapons testing to come this year.

The activity follows a trend of DPRK leader Kim Jong Un building garden-themed launchpads, either in an attempt to fool adversaries or simply improve the scenery, as he oversees a long list of missile development goals he aims to have completed by the end of this year.

Planet Labs imagery shows that following the demolition of villages in the Samsok district of east Pyongyang in December, workers built two new cul-de-sac-shaped paths and concrete pads in their place throughout April, each measuring around 50 by 60 meters (197 by 165 feet).

Parts of the concrete paved roads and pads have been covered with dirt as of May 4, similar to how North Korea has disguised two purpose-built missile launchpads as golf courses or gardens at the same sprawling military compound surrounding the Kim mansions in recent years. 

Burn marks around the edge of the entire northern half of the western pad also appeared between April 24 and 25, and more darkened ground appeared by April 26, possibly in relation to launch activities. 

Sam Lair, a research associate with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies Open Source Team, confirmed the concrete-pouring activity and existence of burnt vegetation around the pad through analysis of Planet Labs near infrared imagery, though he cautioned that it’s difficult to determine the cause without higher-resolution imagery from the days in question.

Neither Korea has reported a missile test from this area since the pads were built. The ROK military has tracked and alerted the public in real time to almost all DPRK ballistic missile launches in recent years, but it has not always precisely reported 600mm multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) tests and sometimes does not detect or chooses not to disclose detection of smaller projectiles like cruise missiles.

Lair also pointed out trenches in a hexagon shape around 50 meters across (165 feet) nearby to the west. The trenches resemble North Korean building foundation construction, while Planet Labs imagery taken on May 4 suggests the foundations have been paved over. 

In addition, NK Pro has found new construction activity has been ongoing at a Kim family riverside mansion at the west end of the Samsok military compound since mid-March, with efforts to fill in part of a pond at the site and prepare to build something on the grounds next to it. 

The name of this mansion is unknown. The other riverside mansion at the eastern end of the area was called “Azalia Guest House” by the 38 North Digital Atlas (likely a translation of the Korean word “jindallae” meaning azalea and commonly used by the Kim family), but the true names for both are unconfirmed.

Kim Jong Un attended six long-range nuclear-capable missile tests at a grass-covered concrete launchpad in front of the Jindallae Guesthouse between April 2023 and Oct. 2024.

Two MLRS salvo launches also took place around this mansion in early 2024, including one in a small valley where the land was likely reinforced and the grass manicured in a fashion similar to what appears to be going on at the newest concrete pads a few hundred meters to the west.

A 370-acre (150-hectare) area of mostly open land along the river between the two mansions began to be cleared in March 2024, with large oval tracks possibly for military vehicle training appearing soon after.

In further signs of North Korea’s ongoing interest in building disguised missile launch sites, authorities prepared a grassy park area up the river ahead of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile test in January this year, as well as a golf course-like complex in southern Pyongyang late last year.

Edited by Bryan Betts