North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave field guidance at major weapons factories between Thursday and Saturday including production lines of engines for strategic cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, KCNA state news agency said on Sunday.
Kim also inspected factories producing shells for super large-calibre multiple rocket launchers and transporter-erector-launchers, which are normally used to fire ballistic missiles, KCNA reported.
He gave instructions for increasing production capacities at the factories as an important part of bolstering the country's defence capabilities, KCNA said.
Inspecting the munitions factory, Kim noted improved precision processing and modernized automation in the production of large-calibre multiple rocket launcher shells, KCNA said.
North Korea has tested rocket launchers for larger calibre shells, advanced cruise missiles and, last month, its newest ballistic missiles including solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
Kim called for the mass-production of "various kinds of cutting-edge strategic weapon engines ... and thus make a great contribution to bringing about a revolution in developing new strategic weapons of our style," KCNA said.
Kim's reported visits to multiple arms production facilities over several consecutive days were unusual but come amid a push by the country to develop various strategic and conventional weapons and recent prominent displays of a range of weapons.
In late July, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, it put on a major military parade displaying its newest nuclear-capable missiles and attack and spy drones with senior officials from Beijing and Moscow in attendance, including Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
North Korea also held a large defence exhibition to coincide with the anniversary and Kim gave Shoigu a tour of the display of ballistic missiles and what appeared to be a new drone.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing arms to Russia for its war with Ukraine, including a "significant" number of artillery shells, as well as a shipment of infantry rockets and missiles to the private Russian military company, the Wagner Group.
Both Russia and North Korea have denied those claims.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
17 Comments
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fallaffel
Looks like a nice field trip.
Desert Tortoise
It looks like he's wearing maternity clothes /:
Tony Kaku
Maybe the UN should be focusing their available resources more on this kind of person for the pain and suffering he has caused and is causing millions of people, opposed to their current investigation into a dead Japanese entertainment producer that wasn't prosecuted by gutless authorities or stood up to by weak television executives when he was alive.
Rodney
Looks like chef. But is a super smart guy, so maybe he can shoot a watermelon at 2km, and then his troops can eat it.
Ricky Kaminski13
The art of making a madman believe that he is an expert in everything he touches. Cringeworthy and sad. You may even get to see it play out on smaller scales in your own life, but North Korea is the banner version on steroids for us all to see. The dregs and dark depths of collective human psychology when played out to its end game in the most disastrous of settings. A stark warning to us all.
opheliajadefeldt
Likkle Kimmy keeping up his macho look. Still, he has to do something while the people starve, and yet they still think he is a god of some sorts.
Rodney
proof please. They are mostly farmers or fisherman. Such people don’t pay ¥500 for a coffee at Starbucks.
EFD
Gotta make that ammo. The Russians are paying in USD!
CuteUsagi
They often show him in these manly although chubby episodes but they never show what the target looks like. His Sister?
WA4TKG
I wonder if he could even HALF way "Qualify" on a proper Rifle Range Course, much less shoot "Expert".
elephant200
K.j. shooting skill is cool!
Dr.Cajetan Coelho
World leaders are working round the clock to feed the hungry, offer shelter to the homeless, education to the kids and grown ups, healthcare facilities for the citizens, and recreation possibilities to the elderly. Well being of every citizen of the Planet is what inspirational leaders crave for during their tenure of service.
itsonlyrocknroll
The question is what or who North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is targeting, a row of potential North Korean defectors no doubt.
EFD
Don't be silly. Fatty uses live prisoners for these photo shoots.
EFD
They had to do still cameras only so as to not show the fat ripples from the recoil.
dagon
What sort of Panglossian alternate reality do you live in good doctor?
And in the personage of Dear Leader Kim you could not have chosen a worse example for such comments.
The Dear Leader undoubtedly received a marksmanship score that had never been recorded before in the history of humanity.
Madverts
Shame we don't get a slo-mo video of the chubster pumping out those rounds to see flabby jowls jiggle for fun. Maybe get Putin with his old man boobies out too.