North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for a surge in artillery shell production and emphasized the importance of modernizing the country’s munitions sector.
On Wednesday, Rodong Sinmun, the Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, reported that Kim visited key military industrial facilities under the Second Economic Committee to inspect shell production and mechanical engineering operations. The exact date of the visit was not disclosed.
During his tour of a shell factory, Kim reviewed the facility’s production status, capacity expansion, and modernization progress. According to the report, the factory has successfully executed a phased modernization plan, increasing shell output to four times the average level and nearly double the peak production year.
Kim expressed satisfaction, stating that the facility, central to strengthening North Korea’s artillery forces, has made significant strides in modernization and productivity.
He praised the military workforce’s enthusiasm, stating their energy and commitment would help drive efforts to achieve the nation’s five-year economic development plan. Kim urged them to produce more shells, emphasizing that doing so would directly enhance military combat readiness.
He added that the increased output is critical in realizing the Party’s defense development strategy and will significantly bolster core combat capabilities. He called on other newly established munitions enterprises to adopt this facility’s modernization model to accelerate the military’s overall growth.
Analysts believe the ramped-up shell production may be aimed at supporting Russia, noting North Korea’s past munitions exports and its apparent intention to continue weapons supplies, possibly in exchange for future military or diplomatic concessions.
Kim also visited a comprehensive machinery manufacturing enterprise, discussing new modernization targets and development strategies for the machinery industry.
He urged the plant to become a national model for machinery manufacturing, emphasizing the development of intelligent, high-speed, precise, and multifunctional equipment to improve production in the defense and civilian sectors.
Referring to the “Machinery Industry Development Strategy Report” reviewed at the 10th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee, Kim addressed key shortcomings and laid concrete steps to elevate the factory to world-class technological standards.
Kim was accompanied by Party Secretary Jo Chun Ryong, Deputy Minister of the Defense Industry Hong Yong Chil, and National Defense Science Institute Director Kim Yong Hwan.