A U.S. think tank says that North Korea’s recent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile proves its capability to launch a ballistic missile from any location in the North.
 
The U.S.-based North Korea monitoring Web site “38 North” said Thursday that while initial reports stated that the launch took place from Banghyeon Airbase in North Pyongan Province, subsequent analysis geolocated the launch site in a valley 8 kilometers to the southeast.
 
This valley and the surrounding area reportedly houses the Banghyeon Aircraft Factory—North Korea’s primary aircraft production, repair and research facility established in the mid-1980s.
 
The think tank said that this is the first time that this location has been used for a ballistic missile launch and, much in the same manner as the Iha-ri Driver Training and Test Facility was used for the first Pukguksong-2 test, it demonstrates the North’s increasing ability to launch ballistic missiles from anywhere in the nation.
 
38 North said that this capability complicates any future missions to eliminate the North’s missile capabilities in wartime, during a military response to some future provocation, or even in some type of preventive strike attempt against missile facilities.

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