North Korea is upgrading the Musudan-ri missile launch site in North Hamgyeong Province, the Kyoto News Service reported, quoting multiple sources.

The sources say that it’s probable the North is building another larger pad.

There has been speculation that the Stalinist state could fire long-range missiles into the East Sea from Musudan-ri, although there are reports that the site has become old and obsolete.

One diplomatic source said it is highly probable that the North is constructing a launch site for intercontinental missiles although it is hard to find out what is being done as work is in its initial stages.

The source also said that North Korea has conducted several engine tests for long-range ballistic missiles, there since the end of last year.

However, this step doesn’t indicate the launching of a long-range ballistic missile, the source added.

Missiles were fired twice from Musudan-ri in 1998 and 2009.

North Korea claimed that the launch of the Kwangmyeongseong-3 “satellite” was the first step in a five-year space development program at Dongchang-ri, west of Pyongyang, the capital of the North, on April 13. It also added that it is ready to develop a rocket larger than the current carrier and a geo-stationary satellite.

Jang Myeong-jin, chief at the launch site on the west coast, said the country plans to launch satellites from Musudan-ri on the east coast as well as Dongchang-ri.