A U.S. tracker of North Korean activities has reported unusual movement near the Sinpo shipyard, which houses a ballistic missile submarine.

“Beyond Parallel,” a project affiliated with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS), posted its latest report on its website on Tuesday. The analysis utilized recent satellite imagery of the Sinpo South Shipyard in South Hamgyong Province.

The analysts, including Joseph S. Bermudez, reported some noticeable activities at the shipyard in the past four weeks, including changes in positioning of the experimental ballistic missile submarine 8.24 Yongung, as well as shifted positions of a test stand barge and the installation of cranes.

The analysts suspected that it may be a "deception program," “new work” on the nearby mothership or continuing repair work on the submarine, but refrained from drawing any definitive conclusions.

The Yongung reportedly suffered damages during the North’s test launch of a “new type” of submarine-launched ballistic missile in October of last year and underwent repair and maintenance work in following months.

[Photo : YONHAP News]