North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for an increase in missile production to strengthen the country’s military power and be prepared for war, according to state media KCNA. Kim made the order during his visit to key munitions factories that produce tactical missiles, missile launch platforms, armored vehicles, and artillery shells. This visit is part of a series of inspections to arms factories, where Kim has been ordering mass production of weapons. The call for increased missile production comes just days before South Korea and the United States are set to begin their annual military drills, which North Korea sees as a rehearsal for war.
Kim emphasized the importance of dramatically increasing missile production capacity to meet the needs of the expanded and strengthened frontline military units. He stated that the development of the munitions industry is crucial for war preparations and that the factories have a significant responsibility in accelerating the military’s readiness. Kim also inspected other plants and praised the progress in modernizing production lines for large-caliber multiple rocket launcher rounds. He stressed the urgent need to exponentially increase the production of such rockets to strengthen frontline artillery units.
South Korea and the United States announced that they will hold the Ulchi Freedom Guardian summer exercises from August 21 to 31 to enhance their ability to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. North Korea has condemned these military drills as a rehearsal for nuclear war. This year’s drills will be the largest ever, mobilizing tens of thousands of troops from both sides and some member states of the U.N. Command for about 30 field training programs.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, including artillery shells, shoulder-fired rockets, and missiles. However, both North Korea and Russia have denied any arms transactions. In addition to the military drills, the leaders of South Korea, the United States, and Japan are scheduled to discuss security cooperation over North Korea, Ukraine, and other issues at a trilateral summit on August 18 at Camp David.
In other news, KCNA reported that Kim visited “typhoon-hit areas” after tropical storm Khanun swept over the Korean peninsula last week, causing flooding in farmlands.
What potential implications could North Korea’s alleged weapons provision to Russia and the trilateral summit between South Korea, the United States, and Japan have on regional security and international relations
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently visited key munitions factories and called for an increase in missile production, according to state media KCNA. This move is aimed at strengthening the country’s military power and being prepared for war. Kim emphasized the need to dramatically increase missile production capacity to meet the demands of the expanded frontline military units. He also inspected other plants and praised the progress in modernizing production lines for large-caliber multiple rocket launcher rounds.
This call for increased missile production comes just days before South Korea and the United States are set to begin their annual military drills, which North Korea views as a rehearsal for war. The drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian, will take place from August 21 to 31 and aim to enhance the ability to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. This year’s exercises will be the largest ever, involving tens of thousands of troops from both sides and some member states of the U.N. Command.
Meanwhile, the United States has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, including artillery shells, shoulder-fired rockets, and missiles. However, both North Korea and Russia have denied any arms transactions. Additionally, the leaders of South Korea, the United States, and Japan are scheduled to discuss security cooperation over North Korea, Ukraine, and other issues at a trilateral summit on August 18 at Camp David.
In other news, KCNA reported that Kim visited areas affected by the recent tropical storm Khanun, which caused flooding in farmlands across the Korean peninsula.
