North Korean leader visits military factories, calls for “drastic boost” of missile production capacity

Pyongyang [North Korea]: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for a “drastic boost” of the country’s missile production capacity. He made the statement during a two-day visit to major factories that produce strategic missiles, rocket launchers and other military weapons on Friday and Saturday, Yonhap News Agency reported citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Kim Jong-un’s visit comes less than a week after the North Korean leader carried out a “field guidance” of major munitions factories. His visit comes at a time when South Korea and the United States plan to hold their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise later this month. North Korea has called the exercise as a reversal of an invasion of the North.

North Korean leader’s visit comes just days after Kim Jong-un presided over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

During the meeting, he called for boosting the missile production capacity, Yonhap News Agency reported.

“He set forth an important goal to drastically boost the existing missile production capacity… so as to mass-produce missiles as required by the system of the expanded and strengthened frontline units and missile units and by the operational plans,” Yonhap News Agency reported citing the KCNA.

Kim Jong-un further said that the North Korean People’s Army should be equipped with an “overwhelming military force” for “coping with any war at any moment so as to prevent the enemies from daring use their armed forces, and surely annihilate them if they launch an attack.”

During his visit to a factory producing tactical missile transporter-erector-launchers (TELs), the North Korean leader called for the development of “more modern and highly efficient TELs substantially conducive to the army’s perfect war preparations,” Yonhap News Agency reported citing KCNA.

Last week, Kim Jong-un carried out a three-day inspection of major arms factories, including those that develop shells of large-calibre multiple rocket launchers and engines of strategic cruise missiles, Yonhap News Agency reported citing state media.

The three-day inspection came days after Kim Jong-un attended a massive military parade marking the 70th armistice anniversary of the Korean War on July 27, according to Yonhap News Agency report.

North Korean leader made the visit to the factories to “learn about the implementation of the core goal of the party’s policies on munitions industry” and set forth new goals to be conducted like modernizing weapons.