North Korea appears to be nearing the completion of a platform to test submarine-launched ballistic missiles(SLBM) which has been under construction at the Nampo Navy Shipyard.
 
The U.S.-based North Korea monitoring Web site "38 North" on Saturday unveiled satellite imagery taken on November eleventh, 16th and 24th of the shipyard located in Nampo, South Pyeongan Province on the west coast.
 
According to its analysis, North Korea's second testing platform for launching missiles underwater from submarines was seen aboard a floating dry dock and towed a short distance to an adjacent pier between the eleventh and the 24th.
 
The platform is known as a "submersible ballistic missile test stand barge."
 
"38 North" said that by November 24th, the barge had been floated off and positioned near the shipyard's fitting-out deck to apparently undergo finishing touches such as the installation of pumps and communications equipment before deployment.
 
A North Korean affairs analyst Joseph Bermudez was cited as saying that the "exact nature of the fitting-out work that will be undertaken on the test stand barge is unclear, as is the date when it will be completed and can be placed into service." 
 
But he said the barge is being prepared to enter service, a strong indicator that Pyongyang is advancing its submarine-launched ballistic missile program.

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