North Korea’s Kim Jong-un orders increase in arms factory capacity for ‘war readiness’, state media reports

Kim Jong-un calls for rapid expansion in ‘production’ during a visit to a factory producing engines for cruise missiles and drones

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un holds a weapon during his three-day inspection at a major munitions factories in North Korea (KCNA via KNS)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has asked his country’s key weapons factories to boost their arsenal capacity and perfect the “war readiness” as he toured the facilities producing artillery systems and launchpads for nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, state media reported on Sunday.

The reclusive leader called for “rapidly expanding production” during his visit to a factory that produces engines for cruise missiles and drones.

The 39-year-old supreme leader complimented workers of an unspecified factory manufacturing launcher trucks for establishing a “solid foundation” for production but asked for the supply of the vehicles to be ramped up as a top priority for the military, reported North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.

Mr Kim was seen firing at least two different scoped rifles from a table in photos published by state media.

He called for a reduction in processing times for propellent tubes and an increase in manufacturing speed as he praised the facility’s efforts to use “scientific and technological measures” to improve the quality of shells.

Mr Kim also spoke about the need to develop and produce new types of shells and stressed on the factory’s “important responsibilities and tasks in perfecting (the North’s) war readiness”, KCNA reported.

He was visiting the factory which produces the hermit kingdom’s large-calibre artillery systems and also made a stop at a small arms factory where he highlighted the need to modernise the weapons carried by soldiers.

The three-day inspection tour through Saturday comes as the United States and South Korea are making arrangements for the anticipated next round of combined military exercises later this month in their continuing bid to prepare for the growing North Korean threat.

Tensions are rife on the Korean Peninsula, surging to their highest levels not seen in years, with North carrying out nuclear-capable missile tests while the US backs South Korea in ostentatious military drills.

Mr Kim has termed the continuing drills as invasion rehearsals which he blames the US and South Korea for as a pretext to invade his nation.

Experts have remarked at the public display of Mr Kim’s tour of weapons factories coming on the heels of a giant military parade last month with Chinese and Russian officials in tow, calling it a sign of military cooperation with Moscow while boosting morale on the domestic front for the weapon manufacturers.

The publicised visits to the factories likely had a dual goal of encouraging the modernisation of domestically produced weapons and examining artillery and other supplies that can possibly be exported to Russia, said Cheong Seong Chang, an analyst at South Korea’s Sejong Institute.

Mr Kim’s comments, which he called key to North’s “defence economic projects”, emphasising improving the quality of shells and the need to develop new types of ammunition, clearly communicate an intent for exports to Russia, Mr Cheong said.

He added that Mr Kim’s comments at the factory about making missile-launch trucks could indicate that the North is seeing some progress in increasing the production of those vehicles, which would possibly improve the operational range of its ballistic weapons designed to target neighbouring rivals and the US mainland.