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Korean","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/RFA_Video/20260806/6a73fa1637fa360d61360e3a/t_6b6a4d147aed4cc4a2ba9bc5d84ae959_name_NK_CoC_final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4","https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZF4ZCTEJYFHB7DH5OPUR2CFRXY.png?auth=95f9cdd4d1740def26bd287c71baa3b53f1c65b3dcfbd3890527edcb5a407a0d&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":11326,"image_caption":"Footage of North Korea's game \"Fortress Defense,\" seemingly a bootleg of Supercell's Clash of Clans.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZF4ZCTEJYFHB7DH5OPUR2CFRXY.png?auth=95f9cdd4d1740def26bd287c71baa3b53f1c65b3dcfbd3890527edcb5a407a0d&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":true,"item_type":"video","item_type_label":"Video","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Jamin Anderson for RFA Korean","micro_label":"Video report","micro_label_kind":"video","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-08-06T03:14:11","published_at_display":"6 Aug 2026, 03:14 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"Footage of the bootleg smartphone game, called \u201cFortress Defense,\u201d leaked on Chinese social media.","title":"Clash of Clans knockoff popular in North Korea with more than 40,000 players online","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/08/06/clash-of-clans-knockoff-north-korea/","video_url":"https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/RFA_Video/20260806/6a73fa1637fa360d61360e3a/t_6b6a4d147aed4cc4a2ba9bc5d84ae959_name_NK_CoC_final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4"},{"article_body_paragraphs":[],"audio_source_url":null,"author":"Jamin Anderson for RFA Korean","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZF4ZCTEJYFHB7DH5OPUR2CFRXY.png?auth=95f9cdd4d1740def26bd287c71baa3b53f1c65b3dcfbd3890527edcb5a407a0d&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":2255,"image_caption":"Footage of North Korea's game \"Fortress Defense,\" seemingly a bootleg of Supercell's Clash of Clans.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZF4ZCTEJYFHB7DH5OPUR2CFRXY.png?auth=95f9cdd4d1740def26bd287c71baa3b53f1c65b3dcfbd3890527edcb5a407a0d&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":false,"item_type":"article","item_type_label":"Article","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Jamin Anderson for RFA Korean","micro_label":"Photo","micro_label_kind":"gallery","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-08-06T03:14:11","published_at_display":"6 Aug 2026, 03:14 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"Read a version of this story in Korean. A knockoff version of the popular smartphone game Clash of Clans is seemingly a hit with North Korean players, Radio Free Asia has learned. The game, given a name that could be translated as \u201cFortress Defense,\u201d closely resembles earlier builds of the 2012 smash hit by Finland\u2019s Supercell, which has been downloaded more than 500 million times worldwide. In Clash of Clans, users mine resources, build up their defenses and raid other users\u2019 fortresses. The bootleg version is the latest confirmed example of a North Korean smartphone game that allows online play via the country\u2019s intranet, which is isolated from the rest of the world as a means to prevent residents from accessing information from outside the country. Footage of a North Korean smartphone obtained near the Sino-Korean border in China\u2019s Liaoning province was shared to an account associated with the username Xiao Yang on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, which is said to be similar to the U.S. platforms Instagram or Pinterest. Screen footage leaked When powered on, the phone displayed a logo reading \u201cHwawon,\u201d a North Korean smartphone manufacturer, meaning that the device cannot connect to the global internet even if taken out of the country. It is restricted to only the North Korean intranet. In the footage, the user opens the Fortress Defense app on the phone and a loading screen appears that closely resembles a former intro screen of Clash of Clans. The logo uses the exact same wood-grain lettering, just with the knockoff title, with the same arrow-ridden shield, but the resemblance does not end there. An old loading screen of Supercell's Clash of Clans, above, compared with the North Korean knockoff, \"Fortress Defense,\" below. (RFA edit/Supercell/\u5c0f\u7f8a\u671d\u9c9c\u4e4b\u65c5\u5c0f\u5c0f\u53f7 via Xiaohongshu) Cartoonish characters \u2013 a female archer shooting a bow in the foreground, flanked by her allies, and a male warrior charging at her with an extended sword, with his allies close behind \u2013 are posed in the exact same way as the actual Clash of Clans intro screen, though the opposing armies\u2019 clothing, hairstyles and equipment are different. At the bottom of the loading screen, a notice clearly reads: \u201cThis product is protected by the software protection law.\u201d The screen soon displays the message \u201cPlease check your data connection status,\u201d followed by an error window reading, \u201cCannot connect to the server. Please check your network status,\u201d before the app shuts down. The notices used North Korean word spellings, which indicate that the bootleg was localized for North Korean users rather than a wholesale ripoff of a version of the game meant for the South Korean market. Chat disabled How the game actually runs inside North Korea was confirmed through footage on another Chinese video platform, Bilibili. Footage filmed by a Chinese content creator who visited North Korea last year shows a woman, believed to be a North Korean resident, playing \u201cFortress Defense\u201d on a smartphone. At the top of the screen, a counter indicates that there are currently 42,329 players online. This suggests tens of thousands of North Korean players were active when the footage was taken and that there are likely even more users offline. Footage of North Korea's bootleg game \"Fortress Defense,\" showing more than 40,000 users are currently online. (\u5341\u4e03\u5c81\u6b4c\u624b\u60f3\u6253\u4e2d\u5355 via Bilibili) However, this version of the game does not allow users to type messages to each other. Instead, players are limited to sending each other preset phrases like \u201cBe careful\u201d or \u201cSurrender.\u201d Fortress Defense\u2019s seemingly blatant ripoff of Clash of Clans\u2019 designs and gameplay has sparked considerable interest among users both in South Korea and elsewhere. Clash of Clans fans on the South Korean internet forum DCinside commented that Fortress Defense appeared to be a \u201crecycled older version of the original,\u201d and that it \u201clooks like an earlier build\u201d of the game. Meanwhile, users on the U.S. platform Reddit noted that Fortress Defense \u201cis clearly a private-server game modified from an older system.\u201d They explained that several newer features available in Clash of Clans were not present in the knockoff. RFA attempted to contact Supercell to inquire whether the company was aware of the unauthorized use of its intellectual property inside North Korea, but as of Aug. 5, there was no response. Edited by Eugene Whong.","title":"Clash of Clans knockoff popular in North Korea with more than 40,000 players online","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/08/06/clash-of-clans-knockoff-north-korea/","video_url":null},{"article_body_paragraphs":[],"audio_source_url":null,"author":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/20260729/6a6a43ab59c5b57e3ef94dd9/t_23ab3327ca1145b5884bb22e46d6d6fa_name__North_Korea__The_New_Yalu_River_Brdige_Final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4","https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZZXIJSME7LDLZCDDJA23B5POOE.jpg?auth=83c530b7c9fdde854be1db5e56504dd91fcdbd69a13a43fea95a40660638db0e&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":11336,"image_caption":"A man takes pictures of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting China's Dandong and North Korea's Sinuiju, from Dandong, Liaoning province, China, May 24, 2018.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZZXIJSME7LDLZCDDJA23B5POOE.jpg?auth=83c530b7c9fdde854be1db5e56504dd91fcdbd69a13a43fea95a40660638db0e&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":true,"item_type":"video","item_type_label":"Video","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","micro_label":"Video report","micro_label_kind":"video","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-07-21T20:41:21","published_at_display":"21 Jul 2026, 20:41 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"Satellite imagery shows significant progress on the bridge that experts say will transform Sino-North Korean trade.","title":"New bridge between North Korea and China could open soon \u2013 12 years after completion","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/07/21/north-korea-china-new-yalu-bridge/","video_url":"https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/20260729/6a6a43ab59c5b57e3ef94dd9/t_23ab3327ca1145b5884bb22e46d6d6fa_name__North_Korea__The_New_Yalu_River_Brdige_Final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4"},{"article_body_paragraphs":[],"audio_source_url":null,"author":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZZXIJSME7LDLZCDDJA23B5POOE.jpg?auth=83c530b7c9fdde854be1db5e56504dd91fcdbd69a13a43fea95a40660638db0e&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":82,"image_caption":"A man takes pictures of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting China's Dandong and North Korea's Sinuiju, from Dandong, Liaoning province, China, May 24, 2018.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/ZZXIJSME7LDLZCDDJA23B5POOE.jpg?auth=83c530b7c9fdde854be1db5e56504dd91fcdbd69a13a43fea95a40660638db0e&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":false,"item_type":"article","item_type_label":"Article","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","micro_label":"Photo","micro_label_kind":"gallery","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-07-21T20:41:21","published_at_display":"21 Jul 2026, 20:41 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"North Korea is close to completing a long-delayed new bridge to China, satellite imagery analyzed by Radio Free Asia shows. Experts said that once the new bridge connecting Dandong in China with Sinuiju in North Korea is complete, trade volume will more than double, relieving pressure on the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge \u2013 the only other connection between the two cities \u2013 considered the main artery between the two countries. Pyongyang and Beijing completed the structure of the New Yalu River Bridge in 2014, with the Chinese government footing the bill, but since then it has remained unopened because the two sides could not come to an agreement on financing construction on infrastructure facilities on North Korea\u2019s end. But construction resumed in January 2025 after Chinese firms agreed to invest, and if all goes according to plan, the new bridge could go into service as early as autumn, Bruce Songhak Chung, a senior researcher at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for Security Strategy, told RFA. \u201cChinese traders involved in cross-border commerce said discussions on an opening ceremony could be held once construction on the North Korean side is completed,\u201d Park Jongchol, a professor at Gyeongsang National University in South Korea said. \u201cOn the Chinese side, there were a few predicted dates being discussed \u2014 such as October 3, the date the two countries established diplomatic relations \u2014 though these have not been confirmed by either Beijing or Pyongyang.\u201d Even if that prediction ends up being incorrect, Chung said he expects the bridge to open this year based on his assessment of the imagery. Satellite imagery shows rapid progress at North Korea's customs complex connected to the New Yalu River Bridge, with most major buildings now structurally complete, though key infrastructure work remains unfinished. Analyzed by Bruce Songhak Chung (RFA) In a July 20 image, construction has advanced significantly in both the warehouse and logistic zone and the customs and security zone on the North Korean side of the bridge, Chung said. These are located in a roughly 50-hectare (120-acre) area that was cleared and left undeveloped for more than a decade. Since the 2025 restart, dozens of administrative and security buildings, warehouses, and other facilities have been erected, with roofs installed and exterior structures largely completed, the imagery shows. Closer ties, increased trade As construction progressed, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited North Korea on June 8 and agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to expand economic cooperation and make greater use of cross-border trade in areas including agriculture, technology, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchange. Chinese experts suggested that following Xi\u2019s visit, Beijing is expected to provide a large package of gifts to North Korea, with the bridge just a small part of it, Park said. The bridge itself was to have been a symbol of economic cooperation between the two countries, but instead it became one of the better-known North Korean white elephants, built for a glorious national purpose, but serving no function. But that will change once it opens. The 3-kilometer-long New Yalu River Bridge, seen in satellite imagery taken on July 20. A new customs facility on the North Korean side is still under construction, while China has already completed its own. (RFA) The new bridge will allow direct access for heavy cargo trucks, increase customs capacity, lower transportation costs and support development of Sinuiju, Joung Eunlee, the director of the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, told RFA. \u201cThe bridge aligns with broader economic interests on both sides of the border,\u201d she said. \u201cChina has sought to strengthen Dandong\u2019s position as its principal trade gateway with North Korea, while Pyongyang is expected to increase imports of construction materials and industrial equipment for infrastructure and regional development projects.\u201d Final touches In recent months, construction has continued at a breakneck pace, Chung observed. \u201cAlong the northern access road to the bridge, satellite imagery also identified construction materials and temporary shelters for workers, the blue and orange objects visible along the roadside for more than one kilometer\u2014supporting work on the customs complex and road paving,\u201d Chung said. However, paving inside the customs complex and on access roads has yet to be completed, indicating the ground preparation and foundation work are still underway. So the final asphalt or concrete paving, lane marking and site cleanup must be completed before the customs facility can support regular freight clearance and vehicle traffic, Chung said. Construction on the North Korean side of the bridge is visible from China, Park told RFA. \u201cVehicles continue to carry construction materials across the bridge. It is expected to open this year,\u201d Park told RFA. The bridge stretches about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the customs facility on the Chinese side into North Korea, and the four-lane highway has now been fully paved in both directions. On June 28, Seoul-based media outlet Daily NK reported that buses have been seen conducting trial runs across it. Construction materials and temporary shelters for workers extend in a nearly continuous line for more than 1 kilometer. Large quantities of pipes, reinforcing steel, paving materials and concrete formwork have been staged along the roadside for easy access. Analyzed by Bruce Songhak Chung (RFA) Park said he was able to observe about 300 trucks crossing from China into North Korea and roughly the same number crossing back in the afternoon over the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which lies just upstream from the new bridge. The Friendship Bridge was built by the Japanese during World War II, making it older than North Korea itself. Because roughly 70% of Sino-North Korean trade traverses this bridge each year, but it was built for a different era, and can handle only a limited number of crossings per day, Park said. \u201cOnce the new bridge opens, cargo volume is expected to increase several times over, dramatically transforming cross border logistics,\u201d Park said. Freight trucks return from Sinuiju, North Korea, to Dandong, China in June. Courtesy Joung Eunlee (RFA) Tumen bridge behind schedule Meanwhile, satellite imagery indicates that construction on the Tumen River Bridge connecting North Korea and Russia \u2014 which had reportedly been expected to open on June 19 \u2014 is still underway. Satellite imagery captured June 30 shows construction on the bridge itself, plus North Korea\u2019s customs facility and access roads, has been completed. But work on the Russian side, including roads, a checkpoint and a customs complex, remains unfinished. Construction of a new customs complex and road in Russia is not yet finished. The bridge had reportedly been expected to open on June 19, but the official opening will likely be delayed further. (RFA) The roughly 1-kilometer (0.6-mile) bridge will connect the North Korean city of Rason with the Russian town of Khasan and will be capable of handling up to 300 vehicles and 2,850 people per day, according to Russia\u2019s Ministry of Transport. Despite the delay, Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday met with North Korea\u2019s Foreign Minister Choe Sun Hui, emphasizing close ties between two countries. Experts told RFA that the new bridges may provide a means for China to undercut international sanctions on North Korea, meant to deprive Pyongyang of cash and resources that could be funneled into its nuclear and missile programs. Russia was the first to openly violate sanctions on North Korea, Joung said. Moscow needed allies as it faced increased isolation following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Entities in China, on the other hand have found ways to get around sanctions, such as by transferring goods ship to ship while at sea, or by setting up shell companies to obfuscate where goods or money are sent and received, Joung noted. The bridges would make it even easier for Moscow and Beijing to skirt sanctions without meaningful international oversight or enforcement, regulated only by the health of their relationship with Pyongyang, she said. \u201cThe New Yalu River Bridge and the Tumen River Bridge seem to be one of the barometers of North Korea\u2019s relations with China and Russia,\u201d Joung said. \u201cBoth bridges are expected to open this year, and diplomatic ties and economic cooperation between North Korea and China, North Korea and Russia, and among all three countries are likely to be stronger than ever.\u201d Edited by Eugene Whong.","title":"New bridge between North Korea and China could open soon \u2013 12 years after completion","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/07/21/north-korea-china-new-yalu-bridge/","video_url":null},{"article_body_paragraphs":[],"audio_source_url":null,"author":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/RFA_Video/20260724/6a63ad5a1128f56a5ab14858/t_841a65b78de84adea3a7592cd686f28d_name__North_Korea__DMZ_MLRS_buildings_Final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4","https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LT2IVXLHCBAZVELWZA37ZT57NU.jpg?auth=54326c8ef349bb4c350d779cfe29e1ce710bc493830158595a2819c7f42cba19&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":11339,"image_caption":"This picture taken May 26, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 27, 2026 shows a test firing of a missile launch system conducted by the Missile Administration and the Academy of Defense Sciences at an undisclosed location in North Korea.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LT2IVXLHCBAZVELWZA37ZT57NU.jpg?auth=54326c8ef349bb4c350d779cfe29e1ce710bc493830158595a2819c7f42cba19&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":true,"item_type":"video","item_type_label":"Video","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","micro_label":"Video report","micro_label_kind":"video","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-07-16T17:51:48","published_at_display":"16 Jul 2026, 17:51 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"Satellite images show 21 newly built drive-through buildings likely designed to shelter launch vehicles.","title":"North Korean buildings near DMZ could be rocket infrastructure, experts say","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/07/16/north-korea-rocket-shelter-buildings/","video_url":"https://d3ayjbmlrrjm3o.cloudfront.net/wp-radiofreeasia/RFA_Video/20260724/6a63ad5a1128f56a5ab14858/t_841a65b78de84adea3a7592cd686f28d_name__North_Korea__DMZ_MLRS_buildings_Final/file_540x960-1600-v4.mp4"},{"article_body_paragraphs":[],"audio_source_url":null,"author":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","available_dubs":[],"downloadable_assets":["https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LT2IVXLHCBAZVELWZA37ZT57NU.jpg?auth=54326c8ef349bb4c350d779cfe29e1ce710bc493830158595a2819c7f42cba19&smart=true&width=1500"],"duration_display":"0:00","duration_seconds":null,"embed_url":null,"id":84,"image_caption":"This picture taken May 26, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 27, 2026 shows a test firing of a missile launch system conducted by the Missile Administration and the Academy of Defense Sciences at an undisclosed location in North Korea.","image_url":"https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/LT2IVXLHCBAZVELWZA37ZT57NU.jpg?auth=54326c8ef349bb4c350d779cfe29e1ce710bc493830158595a2819c7f42cba19&smart=true&width=1500","is_clip":false,"item_type":"article","item_type_label":"Article","language_label":"English","media_credit":"Noh Jung Min for RFA","micro_label":"Photo","micro_label_kind":"gallery","network_label":"RFA","network_logo_url":"/static/uploads/direct_network_logos/rfa_ca00144ac549.png","published_at":"2026-07-16T17:51:48","published_at_display":"16 Jul 2026, 17:51 GMT","sequence_badge_label":null,"sequence_count":null,"sequence_count_label":null,"sequence_frames":[],"sequence_kind":null,"source_name":"rfa_english_rss","source_name_label":"RFA English RSS","source_type":"rss","summary":"North Korea has constructed at least 21 identical drive-through structures near its border with South Korea that could potentially aid in the operation of truck-based missile or rocket weapons systems, satellite imagery analyzed by Radio Free Asia suggests. Satellite images show 21 newly built drive-through buildings likely designed to shelter launch vehicles. The buildings, each roughly 52 meters (171 feet) long, began to appear in satellite imagery between 2023 and early 2025 at small North Korean Army bases south of Kaesong, just a few kilometers north of the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, and only 52 kilometers (32 miles) from Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Their number, design and location suggest they could serve as maintenance and storage facilities for transporter erector launchers, or TELs, or multiple launch rocket systems, or MLRS, two types of weapons systems that can quickly launch guided missiles or rockets against targets across South Korea, experts told RFA. TELs are used in situations where precisely hitting one target is the goal, whereas MLRS is used to attack many targets over a broad area. This picture taken on May 26, 2026 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 27, 2026 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting tests of a newly-developed lightweight multi-purpose missile launching system and a multiple tactical cruise missile weapon system conducted by the Missile Administration and the Academy of Defense Sciences at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (KCNA via KNS/AFP) The experts noted that neither weapons system has been spotted in imagery but said that the weapons systems infrastructure was the likeliest explanation. \u201cI see no reason for civilian activity at this level of construction in this location,\u201d Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., a senior fellow for imagery analysis at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFA. Rockets or missiles? The buildings seem more likely to be for MLRS rather than TEL, Bermudez said. Each building is connected to dedicated access roads designed for military vehicles, but the turning radius appears suitable for smaller vehicles rather than a large TEL. \u201cMultiple rocket launches seem reasonable,\u201d he said. \u201cMultiple rocket launchers grouped in batteries of four would fit, with the ability to have another vehicle \u2014 a support vehicle \u2014 in there.\u201d Each structure features a central drive-through hall with vehicles able to enter one end and exit the other, and a raised midsection roof tall enough to let a launcher elevate its missile or rocket modules for maintenance, Jacob Bogle, a U.S.-based private satellite imagery analyst, told RFA. \u201cNorth Korea has been quietly increasing its MLRS infrastructure before making any public announcements,\u201d Bogle said. \u201cThese structures are only part of improvements to the DMZ area, but they are among the most potent.\u201d Two of the 52-meter support buildings while they are under construction. The bottom image from 2024 reveals the internal layout of the structures. Analyzed by Jacob Bogle (RFA) Another factor that indicates that the buildings are for TEL or MLRS is that they are so close to the border, Bruce Bennett, a senior national security analyst, told RFA. He noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled 50 new TELs last February capable of carrying 600-millimeter missiles, most likely KN-25s . \u201cThose missiles are just over 8 meters long, so the launchers are likely about 10 meters,\u201d Bennett said. \u201cA battery of three or four such launchers could fit inside one of the 52-meter buildings, one after the other.\u201d The 50 new TELs could potentially fill 13 to 17 of the newly built structures \u2014 leaving extra room for the other 600-millimeter systems and shorter-range launchers Kim has separately showcased. Force buildup North Korea has a long track record of sheltering its missile forces in drive-through facilities, experts said. \u201cIt even built such facilities for its Scud missiles, but more recently it has been building such facilities even for its longer-range missiles,\u201d Bennett said. Satellite imagery showing two of the completed probable MLRS support buildings, highlighting the multiple roof elevations and driveway approaches common to each of the 21 buildings identified. Analyzed by Jacob Bogle (RFA) Similar drive through structures are present at the nearby Kal-gol missile operating base, according to the \u2018Beyond Parallel\u2019 project by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Kal-gol missile base is one of the most developed of North Korea\u2019s approximately 15-20 undeclared ballistic missile facilities \u2014 with a specialized drive-through building with an arched clerestory allows for the elevation of a Hwasong-5/6 missile on a TEL or MEL, or missile erector launcher, for training and maintenance, the report said. To tout his missile capabilities, Kim Jong Un has held three ceremonies since 2022 \u2014 most recently this year \u2014 unveiling more than 330 newly produced TELs for KN-25 and short-range Hwasong-11D missiles, the latter with a range of just over 100 kilometers (62 miles). \u201cThese TELs will mainly be deployed close to the DMZ at a variety of bases because of the short-range of their missiles and this is almost certainly only the beginning of Kim\u2019s deployment of new missiles near the DMZ,\u201d Bennett said. \u201cNorth Korea is mechanizing its forward forces, so that they could move rapidly forward. It is also a reasonable probability,\u201d Bermudez said. Forward deployment The construction of the drive through buildings also follows Kim Jong Un\u2019s recent push to strengthen frontline firepower. These have included: a February ceremony presenting 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers, a May order from Kim to reinforce southern border defense, and live-fire tests in June of an upgraded 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher equipped with autonomous precision guidance and an extended range of up to 90 kilometers (56 miles). Experts say the timing of the new drive through buildings is difficult to view as coincidental. North Korea is \u201creinforcing its forward-deployed troops,\u201d Bermudez said. \u201cYou just don\u2019t build this many structures of the same type unless you\u2019re forward deploying additional assets.\u201d The locations of the 21 MLRS support buildings are grouped into three main sectors near the DMZ, south of the city of Kaesong. Analyzed by Jacob Bogle (RFA) Bogle said the pattern fits a long-standing North Korean survival strategy built on redundancy. \u201cEvery new building, every new base, and every underground facility requires the ROK and U.S. to invest even more in building up supplies, and requires more of a burden for intelligence agencies to know what weapons are where at any given time,\u201d he said. Edited by Eugene Whong.","title":"North Korean buildings near DMZ could be rocket infrastructure, experts say","topic":"Korea","translation_language":"","url":"https://rfa.org/english/korea/2026/07/16/north-korea-rocket-shelter-buildings/","video_url":null}],"next_num":null,"page":1,"pages":1,"per_page":20,"prev_num":null,"total":6}