▲ The location of Shijoong, Jagang Province

It was reported on Thursday from a South Korean intelligence source that North Korea is building five underground tunnels, near Mt. Moomyung in Shijoong, Jagang Province, that are suspected to be missile facilities. Seoul’s intelligence agencies are conducting a thorough analysis on the tunnels to check the possibility of them being a preparation for a nuclear test.

An anonymous South Korean government official said that although the tunnels would probably be another rear missile base, the chance of building nuclear-test-related facilities inside the tunnel could not be overlooked.

“There is unconfirmed information from recent defectors,” the official added, “that North Korea might have built Uranium enrichment facilities in Hwapyung in Jagang Province, and the information is being analyzed through satellite pictures.” It is highly probable that North Korea built a clandestine building in such an isolated mountainous region (in Jagang Province)," according to the official.

Shijoong is located along the downstream of the Jangja River in northern Jagang Province and borders Manpo City to the north, Kanggye and Janggang to the east and Wiwon to the south. About 98 percent of Jagang Province is covered by mountains and the average altitude above the sea level is 804 meters (about a half mile). And the province boasts abundant hydroelectric resources.

Jagang Province’s such geological conditions causes a dense location of crucial military facilities. And moreover, Shijoong is known for its copious virgin forests.

Thus, the county has been suspected to be a secure site of possible missile or nuclear base.

Underground nuclear tests require proper subterranean water and geological conditions.

In order to reduce nuclear contamination after the test, there must be right geological features; and also enough subterranean water is needed to elutriate the radioactive materials.

If there is such a condition present near Mt. Moomyung in Shijoong, it is possible that the North Korean government will use the tunnels for nuclear tests.