Kim Jong-un’s first public visit to ICBM base sends message ahead of U.S. election amid Ukraine deployment

This marks the first time North Korean media has publicly revealed the interior of its strategic missile bases, a move which analysts believe is an attempt to assert North Korea’s presence ahead of the upcoming U.S. election while also diverting attention from international criticism over its alleged involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that Kim “examined the readiness for action of strategic deterrence directly connected with the security of the country, including the important functions and capabilities of launch-related facilities in the missile bases and the strategic missile combat duty.”

Photographs released by the agency showed Kim inspecting the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), believed to be capable of striking the U.S. mainland, and the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range hypersonic missile, which could target the U.S. territory of Guam.

Kim emphasized the importance of the strategic missile force, calling it “the core force playing a pivotal role in the DPRK’s war deterrence.” He added that “it is an important principle of the strategy for building national defense consistently maintained by the Workers’ Party of Korea to technically modernize overall armed forces by giving priority to the strategic missile force in the future, too.” The DPRK is the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Kim warned of increasing nuclear threats posed by U.S. strategic weapons and highlighted the need for North Korea to “bolster its deterrence” and take a “strict counteraction posture.”

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said North Korea appears anxious about the early exposure of its military deployments to fight with Russia in Ukraine and the potential consequences.

“North Korea appears to feel significant pressure as signs of its troop deployment are being exposed early and are becoming a fait accompli,” Hong said. “It seems particularly sensitive to the military threats from the international community, especially South Korea and the United States, as its participation in the war becomes more visible.”

The North Korean media also highlighted Kim’s leadership, quoting him as saying he “appreciated the services of the missile soldiers in the strategic missile bases for fulfilling the sacred duty they have assumed before the country and the people, being always on combat duty in a tight posture as required by the prevailing situation.”

Experts believe this message was aimed at boosting the morale of the troops amid concerns that the dispatch of soldiers to the Ukraine war could spark internal unrest if those forces are used as cannon fodder.

Kim was accompanied on the visit by his powerful sister Kim Yo-jong and Kim Jong-sik, the first vice department director of the Workers’ Party of Korea and a key figure in North Korea’s missile development. However, the location and date of the inspection were not disclosed.

The KCNA reported that Kim stressed the importance of modernizing and fortifying the bases and making all missile bases fully ready to deliver a “strategic counterblow” in various circumstances. Experts noted that the missile base appeared to be an underground facility, based on images of Kim entering through a narrow forest path.

“It is presumed to be an underground base with a concealed entrance,” said Hong, explaining that the base’s underground location aims to enhance survivability.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]