North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has instructed factories making missile engines, artillery and other weapons to boost capacity as an important part of bolstering the country’s defense capabilities, state media said yesterday.
Kim’s inspections from Thursday to Saturday included the production of engines for strategic cruise missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles, as well as shells for super large-caliber multiple-rocket launchers and transporter-erector-launchers, the North’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
His unusual visits to multiple arms production facilities over several days come as Pyongyang is pushing to develop strategic and conventional weapons and holding prominent displays of a range of arms.
Photo: AFP / KCNA via KNS
The launchers Kim inspected are normally used for ballistic missiles.
North Korea has tested rocket launchers for larger caliber shells, advanced cruise missiles and last month its newest ballistic missiles, including a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile.
Kim cited improved precision processing and modernized automation in the production of large-caliber multiple-rocket launcher shells, KCNA said.
He called for the mass production of “various kinds of cutting-edge strategic weapon engines ... [to] thus make a great contribution to bringing about a revolution in developing new strategic weapons of our style,” KCNA said.
Photographs showed Kim firing different types of assault rifles.
Cheong Seong-chang, an expert on North Korea’s political strategy at the Sejong Institute near Seoul, said Kim is likely focused on modernization and technical innovation of weapons that would help with the export of arms to Russia.
Marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War on Thursday, Pyongyang held a major military parade displaying its newest nuclear-capable missiles and attack and spy drones, with Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu joining Kim in the reviewing stand.
At a large defense exhibition, Kim gave Shoigu a tour of the display of ballistic missiles and what appeared to be a new drone.
The US has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
Russia and North Korea have denied those claims.
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