Analysts have identified a potential new North Korean construction project near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Gangwon Province’s Goseong area. The project appears to involve a dam and power plant, according to reports on November 29.
U.S.-based North Korea watchdog NK News revealed these findings after scrutinizing footage from Korean Central Television aired on November 21. The footage showed Kim Jong Un, the Workers’ Party General Secretary, at the inauguration of the Hoeyang County People’s Power Plant.
During Kim’s site inspection, a Gangwon Province Hydroelectric Construction Plan map was visible, categorizing power plants as completed, under construction, or proposed. Notably, the Goseong No. 2 People’s Power Plant, situated close to the DMZ, was labeled as a proposed facility.
NK News, cross-referencing the map’s details with Google Earth imagery, predicts the plant’s likely location near Wolbisan-ri, adjacent to a significant bend in the Namgang River in Goseong County.
The outlet raised concerns about potential conflict with South Korean forces, noting that while the reservoir would be on the northern side, rising water levels post-completion could potentially flood South Korean territory.
They further highlighted that the reservoir’s edge might extend to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in Goseong County, an area with a substantial South Korean military presence within the DMZ.
While North Korea has bolstered defenses across most of the DMZ over the past two years, the area around the future Goseong No. 2 People’s Power Plant reservoir remains unfortified, likely due to ongoing construction plans.
NK News noted that while satellite imagery doesn’t yet show dam construction, minor excavation and building activities were observed at the Namgang River bend between June and August this year.