Official visit: Kim touring a munitions factory at an undisclosed place in North Korea. — KCNA via KNS/AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to step up production of missiles and construct more factories to meet his military’s growing need for the projectiles, state media said.
Pyongyang has significantly increased missile testing in recent years – aimed, analysts say, at improving precision strike capabilities, challenging the United States as well as South Korea, and testing weapons before exporting them to key ally Russia.
In a visit to munitions factories, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said yesterday that Kim had ordered the factories to prepare for a busy year ahead.
The North Korean leader said they needed “to further expand the overall production capacity” to keep pace with demand from Pyongyang’s armed forces and ordered the building of new munitions plants, KCNA reported.
“The missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering up the war deterrent,” Kim said.
North Korea and Russia have drawn closer since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, and Pyongyang has sent troops to fight for Russia, along with artillery shells, missiles and long-range rocket systems.
In return, Russia is sending North Korea financial aid, military technology, food and energy supplies, analysts say.
Washington has also pointed to evidence that Russia is stepping up support for North Korea, including providing help on advanced space and satellite technology. — AFP
