Seoul’s Defense Ministry says the physical restoration of a key North Korean missile launch site is nearing completion, but that it is unclear whether the site is operational.

Representative Kim Byung-ki of the ruling Democratic Party said he received the ministry's intelligence assessment in a meeting on Wednesday. 

The ministry said that it was aware of efforts to restore the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in Dongchang-ri.

It noted, however, that such efforts began right before the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. was held late last month and assessed that the North was preparing to host international inspectors at the site in anticipation of a successful summit.

The ministry also denied recent U.S. media reports based on satellite imagery that the Dongchang-ri missile base has restored its operational capacity, saying this has not yet been confirmed.