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State media reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited important munitions facilities, including one that makes tactical missiles, and has ordered a “drastic” increase in the production of missiles, rocket-launcher shells, and other weaponry.
The inspections, which were reported on Monday, are the most recent of Kim’s many trips to military bases, where he has emphasized the mass manufacture of weaponry.
That happens as South Korea and the US get ready for yearly military exercises that North Korea perceives as a practice invasion. Also, US government sources have stated that they think Moscow is looking for North Korean weaponry for its conflict with Ukraine.
Kim reportedly inspected factories making tactical missiles, mobile launchers, armored vehicles, and artillery shells on Friday and Saturday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
During a visit to the missile complex, Kim set a goal to “dramatically improve” production capacity in order for the facility to produce missiles in huge quantities to meet the demands of front-line military units, according to KCNA.
According to the source, when touring other industries, Kim urged the construction of more advanced missile launch trucks and stressed the urgent need to increase the manufacture of large-calibre multiple rocket launcher shells “at an exponential rate.”
Arsenal Showdown
After his high-stakes negotiations with former US President Donald Trump broke down in 2019, Kim has been concentrating on expanding his nuclear and missile arsenals.
More than 100 missile launches have been carried out by Kim’s military since the year 2022, many of them in an effort to warn the US and South Korea about the increase of their joint military training activities.
As the United States and South Korea prepare to begin their summer military drills later this month, North Korea may soon conduct additional weapons tests. North Korea describes the US-South Korean drills as “invasion practice.” The allies assert that they do not plan to invade North Korea.
According to many observers, whenever negotiation with Washington begins, Kim eventually wants to utilize his arsenal of upgraded weapons to extract concessions from the US, like the lifting of sanctions.
The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with North Korean officials about boosting the sale of armaments to Moscow for its conflict in Ukraine during a visit to Pyongyang last month, according to the White House earlier this month.
America has accused North Korea of sending artillery shells and munitions to Russia, but North Korea has refuted this. Nonetheless, it has openly backed Russia in the conflict and made hints about deploying personnel to aid in the reconstruction of Ukrainian territory that Russia occupies.
Faced with US-led pressure campaigns over its nuclear program and economic challenges brought on by the virus, Kim has been attempting to strengthen ties with China and Russia.
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Source: Aljazeera
