NORTH KOREA — New images reveal North Korea has been expanding a key missile base, despite pledging toward denuclearization during the historic summit with Trump last June.<br /><br />CNN reports that the Hermit Kingdom's recent lack of ballistic missile testing has been touted as a sign of progress by the Trump administration, but this new evidence suggests Washington and Pyongyang may not be on the same page.<br /><br />Satellite images obtained by CNN from the Middelbury Institute of International Studies at Monterey reveal that North Korea has continued to upgrade the Yeongjeo-dong missile base in the mountainous north and built up another facility seven miles away that hadn't been previously publicly identified.<br /><br />The images indicate that the large underground facility was being built in 2017, and remained under construction as of August 2018.<br /><br />Experts believe the site's unique location makes it a strong candidate to house the country's newest long-range missiles, including those capable of holding a nuclear warhead and striking the U.S.<br /><br />A Middlebury researcher told NPR that hardened drive-thru shelters are being constructed for the vehicles that would carry the missiles. Tunnel entrances are also being built.<br /><br />In the event of an attack, mobile missile launchers can be fueled and armed in the underground facility, and then driven to predetermined sites to fire missiles at the enemy.
