On Wednesday, Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, visited a major munitions factory accompanied by his daughter, Ju Ae. During the visit, he meticulously inspected the weapons production process and issued directives to establish additional production lines at the facility, aimed at modernizing the defense industry.
The following day, Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party, reported that Comrade Kim provided on-site guidance at a key munitions factory under the Second Economic Committee, reviewing the status of arms production.
The newspaper detailed that Kim examined the production process of a new pistol, developed based on a design approved by the Party’s Central Military Commission on February 19 of the previous year. He personally test-fired the weapon, and his daughter Ju Ae also participated in the shooting experience alongside officials.
Kim expressed his satisfaction, stating that he received reports from the Ministry of National Defense and the General Staff praising the new pistol’s superior structural functionality, accuracy, precision, and combat effectiveness. Now that he’s seen it firsthand, he can confirm that they’ve truly developed an excellent sidearm.
The newspaper further reported that Kim issued critical directives regarding the establishment of new production lines at the factory, as part of the five-year defense development plan that commenced this year.
Kim emphasized that the new production lines must be established to the highest standards, serving as a model for the modernization of the nation’s defense industry. He announced that discussions on modernization plans for munitions factories and the budget for upgrading three key defense enterprises would take place at an expanded meeting of the Party’s Central Military Commission next month.
Moreover, Kim highlighted the crucial role of the factory, which specializes in producing portable light weapons, including pistols, in enhancing the combat capabilities of the military, internal security forces, and civilian defense units. He stressed the importance of expanding production capacity and modernizing manufacturing processes.
Notably, Kim directed the Second Economic Committee to implement stringent quality control regulations and procedures to systematically ensure the supply of materials and components during the weapons production process.