North Korean leader calls for expansion of new artillery shell production

ISTANBUL

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered a significant expansion in the production of a new type of artillery shell, state media reported on Saturday.

During a visit to a munitions factory on Friday, Kim stressed the need to "further expand and reinforce the production capacity" of the facility. He called for rationalizing production lines and increasing automation to enhance efficiency and output, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Kim toured various sections of the factory -- including press, spinning, and assembly workshops -- and received briefings on production expansion and modernization projects scheduled for completion in the first half of 2025.

He lauded the enterprise for adapting to the ruling party’s strategic directives, calling the facility a model of North Korea’s push to transform its defense sector into a “world-class, advanced industry.” He also outlined new production goals and expectations for the factory.

The development comes amid strengthening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that North Korea has sent approximately 15,000 troops to Russia since October to support its war in Ukraine.

In April, Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that it deployed troops under a mutual defense pact with Moscow.