N.K. leader calls for increased artillery capabilities during visit to arms factories

▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) drives a vehicle designed to carry a 240mm multiple rocket launcher system during his visit to arms factories on May 11-12, 2024, in this photo carried by the Korean Central News Agency on May 13. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un tests a sniper rifle during his visit to arms factories on May 11-12, 2024, in this photo carried by the Korean Central News Agency on May 13. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

NK leader-rocket launcher

N.K. leader calls for increased artillery capabilities during visit to arms factories

SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged efforts to ramp up the military's artillery capabilities as he visited key munitions factories that produce sniper rifles and rocket launcher vehicles, state media said Monday.

Kim made the remark during his visit to major defense industrial enterprises on Saturday and Sunday, as he inspected the modernization of production lines and production plans for the year, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim's visit came just a day after he oversaw the test-firing of controllable shells for "the technically updated version" of the 240mm multiple rocket launcher system, which the North said it plans to deploy to its military starting this year.

The KCNA said Kim expressed satisfaction over the automation system and quality of launcher vehicles and stressed the "need to further expand the production results by increasing the scientific and technological capabilities ... and thus accelerate the bolstering of the artillery capabilities of the army."

"In order to mass-produce multiple rocket launchers of our style with high efficiency and reliability in bulk, it is important to steadily improve the modernization level of production processes," Kim was also quoted as saying.

During the visit, Kim personally drove a launcher vehicle and tested a "newly-developed" sniper rifle, according to the KCNA.

In February, the North said it had newly developed "controllable" 240mm rocket launcher shells, a move that could boost its weapons capabilities with improvements in range and precision. Last month, the country conducted a test fire of new shells for the weapons system.

Observers said North Korea appears to be ramping up the development of rocket launcher shells in a bid to supply them to Russia for use in Moscow's war with Ukraine and double down on weapons tests targeting South Korea.

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