Despite leader's claims, images show scant progress at Samjiyon over the winter



Analysis Despite leader’s claims, images show scant progress at Samjiyon over the winter Project set to be wrapped up by October next year, Kim Jong Un said this week Colin Zwirko April 4, 2019 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Rodong Sinmun North Korean media Thursday reported on another inspection of construction efforts in Samjiyon by leader Kim Jong Un – his fourth in the last year and first in 2019. But despite Kim’s claims that “the appearance of the township has changed so much in several months” and that “much progress” had been made over winter, open source data suggests otherwise. A comparison of satellite imagery courtesy of Planet Labs and on-the-ground photos released in state media reveals few apparent changes to unfinished structures rapidly built throughout the town in the latter half of 2018. Comparing November Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01All the question marks hanging over Trump’s approach to North Korea in term two 02Time almost up for North Korea’s plan to launch 3 military satellites in 2024 03Trump return rekindles prospects of North Korea talks, but Russia stands in way 04How China could benefit from North Korea’s troop deployment to Ukraine 05New North Korean ICBM delivers big political message, and likely bigger payloads 06How North Korea-Russia ties will challenge next US president, no matter who wins 07What to make of the stunning collapse in value of North Korean won 08What to know about Kim Yong Bok, the man leading North Korean troops in Russia 09If Trump: How erratic leader’s reelection could scramble North Korea policy 10North Korea’s admission of drone incursion exposes glaring gaps in air defenses

Analysis

Despite leader’s claims, images show scant progress at Samjiyon over the winter

Project set to be wrapped up by October next year, Kim Jong Un said this week

Colin Zwirko April 4, 2019

Despite leader’s claims, images show scant progress at Samjiyon over the winter

Rodong Sinmun

North Korean media Thursday reported on another inspection of construction efforts in Samjiyon by leader Kim Jong Un – his fourth in the last year and first in 2019.

But despite Kim’s claims that “the appearance of the township has changed so much in several months” and that “much progress” had been made over winter, open source data suggests otherwise.

A comparison of satellite imagery courtesy of Planet Labs and on-the-ground photos released in state media reveals few apparent changes to unfinished structures rapidly built throughout the town in the latter half of 2018.

Comparing November

01All the question marks hanging over Trump’s approach to North Korea in term two
02Time almost up for North Korea’s plan to launch 3 military satellites in 2024
03Trump return rekindles prospects of North Korea talks, but Russia stands in way
04How China could benefit from North Korea’s troop deployment to Ukraine
05New North Korean ICBM delivers big political message, and likely bigger payloads
06How North Korea-Russia ties will challenge next US president, no matter who wins
07What to make of the stunning collapse in value of North Korean won
08What to know about Kim Yong Bok, the man leading North Korean troops in Russia
09If Trump: How erratic leader’s reelection could scramble North Korea policy
10North Korea’s admission of drone incursion exposes glaring gaps in air defenses

Despite leader’s claims, images show scant progress at Samjiyon over the winter

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Colin Zwirko