[단독] 김정은 “남측 시설 싹 들어내라”던 장전항 해군기지화
Kim Jong Un said "destroy South Korean facilities" in Jangjon Port Naval Base remilitarization
North Korea has been spotted using Jangjon Port, which was frequented by tourists to the mountain, as a military base. North Korea has moved submarines and ships from Jangjon Port to the rear area since November 1998, when the tours began. In April 2010, however, a North Korean ship appeared in a photo of the Google Earth satellite, two years after the tour was suspended. [Photo Google Earth Capture]
Satellite photos taken in August last year showed that the number of large vessels anchored at the dock while heading to the sea increased (in the circle to the left), and that a building was newly established to repair naval vessels (upper ground and right) and a building (below right) believed to be a military barracks or administrative facility. [Photo Google Earth Capture]
북한이 금강산 관광 때 남측 유람선을 받았던 장전항(고성항)에 군사 시설을 건설하고 함정을 배치하며 다시 해군 군항으로 사용하고 있는 움직임이 포착됐다. 북한 잠수함 등의 전방기지 역할을 했던 장전항은 1998년 11월 금강산 관광이 시작된 후 군항 기능을 중단했던 곳이다.
North Korea has been spotted building military facilities, deploying vessels and using them as a naval port at the port of Jangjon, where it once received a South Korean cruise ship at the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. Jangjon Port, which once served as a frontline base for North Korean submarines and navy, was suspended as a military base in November of 1998 and re-established as the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region.
정부 당국자는 26일 “김정은 북한 국무위원장이 지난달 23일 금강산 지역 내 남측 시설물들을 싹 들어내라고 지시했지만 이 지시에 앞서 이미 후방으로 물렸던 함정을 장전항에 다시 전진배치하고 있고, 관광용 유람선 정박을 위해 건설했던 부두 건너편엔 상가(上架·함정을 들어올려 수리하는 육상 시설)까지 설치했다”고 밝혔다. 이 당국자는 “2008년 금강산 관광이 중단된 이후 간혹 공기부양정과 잠수함이 장전항에서 목격된 적이 있었지만 2~3년 전부턴 아예 장전항에 새로운 건물이 들어서고, 함정을 사실상 상시 배치하는 움직임이 있다”고도 밝혔다.
A South Korean government official said, “that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered South Korean facilities in the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region to be destroyed on October 23. However, North Korea deployed a ship that was rear-ended prior to this instruction back to the port of charge. On the other side of the pier, which was built to anchor the cruise ship for sightseeing, a shopping mall was set up. After the suspension of tours to Mt. Geumgang in 2008, hovercrafts and submarines were sometimes spotted at Jangjon Port. However two to three years prior at Jangjon Port a new building was built and there was movement to deploy vessels on a regular basis.”
본지가 위성 사진 제공업체인 구글 어스의 사진을 분석한 결과 2018년 8월의 경우 장전항의 함정용 부두에는 2010년에는 없던 건물이 지어져 있고, 육상에는 ‘상가’를 설치해 여러 척의 함정을 올려놓았다. 또 수척의 대형 함정을 부두에 정박시켜 놓았는데, 함정의 앞부분(함수)을 바다 쪽으로 향하도록 해 긴급 출동에 대비하는 방식으로 배치했다.
According to an analysis of photos by Google Earth, a satellite photo provider, in August 2018, the dock for ships at Jangjon Port was built, which did not exist in 2010. It set up "commercials" on land and put several ships on board. And we've got a couple of big ships docked at the pier. The ship's front part (function) is directed toward the sea to prepare for an emergency presence.
전직 해군 장성은 “일반적으로 함정을 부두에 정박시킬 때는 배의 옆부분이 부두에 닿도록 하고, 그 옆으로 함정을 여러 척 겹쳐 정박시킨다”며 “그러나 긴급 출항이 필요한 기지에선 함정이 곧바로 바다로 출항할 수 있도록 함정의 앞부분을 바다 쪽으로 향하게 했다”고 말했다. 그는 ＂장전항의 함정들은 모두 긴급 출항 형태로 돼 있는 점은 북한이 이 지역을 최전방 해군기지로 다시 전환하고 있다는 증거”라고 설명했다.
A former Navy general said, "Usually, when you anchor a ship at a dock, you make sure that the side of the ship touches the dock. A number of vessels are docked next to it. However, at a base that needs an emergency departure, we have the front part of the ship facing toward the sea so that it can sail straight into the sea. The fact that all ships at the Jangjon port are in the form of an emergency departure is proof that North Korea is converting the area back to a front-line naval base,” he said.
North Korea to Re-establish Naval Base in Jangjon Port. 그래픽=김주원 기자 zoom@joongang.co.kr
금강산 관광의 주관사인 현대는 초창기 관광객 운송을 위해 동해(속초)~장전항 항로에 최대 4척의 유람선을 투입했고, 유람선 정박을 위해 북한의 해군기지 건너편에 부두와 출입사무소 시설을 건설했다. 당시 북한은 각종 함정과 시설 노출을 우려해 장전항 북쪽 7㎞(직선거리) 후방의 남애항 등으로 전력을 옮겼다. 장전항에는 보초 병력 정도만 남겨뒀다.북한은 남겨둔 시설물을 관광객이 촬영할 경우에 100달러의 벌금을 부과했다. 2008년 관광객 박왕자씨가 북한군 총격으로 피살됐던 곳이 장전항 인근이다.
Hyundai, the organizer of the Mount Kumgang tour, put up to four cruise ships for tours of the East Sea (Sokcho) and Jangjon Port. Hyundai has built docks and access office facilities across the North's naval base for the anchor of the cruise ships. At that time, North Korea moved its forces to Namae Port, which is located at the rear of Jangjon Port, for fear of exposing various vessels and facilities. There was only a sentry stationed at the port of Jangjon. North Korea imposed a $100 fine on tourists if they took pictures of the facilities left behind. Park Wang-ja, a South Korean tourist, was killed in 2008, shot while walking along the beach near Jangjon Port by the North Korean military.
잠수함 전단장을 지낸 문근식 한국국방안보포럼 대외협력국장은 “장전항은 해상 북방한계선에서 10여㎞ 떨어진 군사적 요충지여서 북한은 그간 금강산 관광이 시작되기 전 장전항을 잠수함의 전진기지로 사용해 왔다”고 설명했다. 당국은 북한이 금강산 관광을 재개하더라도 원산 공항을 사용하되 장전항에 더는 유람선이 드나들지 않도록 하겠다는 계획을 세운 것으로 파악하고 있다.
Moon Geun-sik, former director of international cooperation at the Korea Defense Forum, who served as a submarine flyer, said, "Since the port is a military hotspot about 10 kilometers from the Northern Limit Line, North Korea has been using the port as a submarine's forward base since before the start of the tours.” The authorities understand that North Korea plans to use Wonsan Airport even if it resumes tourism at the Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. North Korea does not plan to allow any more cruise ships to enter the Jangjon Port.
정용수 기자 nkys@joongang.co.kr