Artillery for Russia too?
New rocket launcher delights Kim Jong Un
May 11, 2024, 2:00 p.m
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According to North Korea’s propaganda, the isolated state’s army is facing a “strategic change.” Dictator Kim presents a new rocket launcher, the production of which will be increased “to the highest level”. Presumably not only North Korea’s military will benefit from this, but also Russia’s.
According to state media, North Korea wants to equip its military with a new multiple rocket launcher this year. As the state news agency KCNA reported, ruler Kim Jong Un inspected a test of the “technically modernized” missile system. An “important change” is coming in terms of increasing the army’s artillery combat capabilities, it said. South Korea’s Defense Ministry was initially unable to confirm the tests.
President Kim discussed ways to increase production of the new rocket launcher system and grenades to “the highest level,” KCNA reported. Accordingly, the new rocket launcher should be delivered to army units by 2026 and replace old systems. Pictures published showed Kim talking to military representatives while inspecting the launcher and during a suspected missile test.
Pyongyang said the test hit eight targets “with pinpoint accuracy” to demonstrate “the advantage and destructive power of the modernized 240-millimeter rocket launcher system.” The tests also demonstrated the performance of the “steerable projectiles”. North Korea had already highlighted the importance of the new multiple rocket launcher for a “strategic change” during a test at the end of April. Kim previously oversaw a nuclear counterattack exercise, according to state media.
The tests came several weeks after monitoring of international sanctions against North Korea was suspended. In March, Russia used a veto in the UN Security Council to prevent an extension of the mandate for the responsible UN panel of experts. The panel reviewed reports that North Korea is supplying Russia with weapons on a large scale for the war against Ukraine.
Experts suspect that the renewed tests and ramping up of production of artillery and missile systems are also serving North Korean arms deliveries to Russia. According to Yang Moo Jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, Pyongyang is “signaling its willingness to engage in arms exports and other economic activities in the defense sector through ongoing technological innovations.” In connection with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, North Korea is also “indirectly testing the effectiveness of its existing weapons” by supplying weapons to Russia.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, Russia and North Korea have intensified their relations with each other. The relationship with South Korea, on the other hand, is at a low point. Kim declared the neighboring country the “main enemy” in January. He announced that he would expand the development of weapons – including tactical nuclear weapons.