US embassy cable - 05RANGOON407

S E C R E T RANGOON 000407 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015 
TAGS: PARM, PINR, KNNP, PREL, BM, KN 
SUBJECT: ALLEGED NORTH KOREAN CONSTRUCTION SITE IN CENTRAL 
BURMA 
 
REF: 04 RANGOON 1100 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for reasons 1.4 (A/C). 
 
1.  (S) The construction of high-tension power lines running 
to a secretive building site in Magwe Division has been 
halted, according to second-hand information from a Burmese 
military engineer working in the area.  The sensitive project 
(19.55 N, 94.25 E), purportedly under construction by North 
Korean and Burmese personnel for use as a missile assembly 
and underground facility, was the subject of a more detailed 
report in August 2004 (reftel). 
 
2.  (S) A Burmese army captain working in the area of the 
project site reported that construction of new facilities to 
house a large number of "artillery" battalions that were to 
move into the area was ongoing.  In late February he told 
this to his cousin, an FSN at Embassy Rangoon, who passed it 
on to EmbOffs April 4. 
 
3.  (S) When asked what language the North Koreans and 
Burmese working at the site speak to each other, the source 
answered, "Korean, as a number of the Burmese working there 
have been trained in Korea."  The FSN said he would report 
any further information received from his cousin on this 
matter. 
Martinez