North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen tests of upgraded artillery and missile systems, state media reported, in what an analyst described as a 'show of force' against the South Korean capital. Kim supervised the tests of'major weapons' including a multiple rocket launcher and a warhead for a ballistic missile, according to the state news agency KCNA.
Details of the Tests
KCNA said the tests analyzed and evaluated the combat characteristics of the upgraded 240mm-calibre 24-tubular multiple rocket launcher system, the power of a special mission warhead of a tactical ballistic missile, and the hit accuracy of shells with an extended firing range of the 155mm self-propelled gun-howitzer. The rocket launcher system included a new self-steered precise guidance system, and its firing range had increased to 90 kilometers (56 miles), enough to reach parts of the Seoul metropolitan area from positions near the inter-Korean border.
Kim's Statements
Kim expressed satisfaction with the results and said the tests demonstrated progress in boosting firepower along the southern border through greater automation, longer range, and higher precision. He reiterated that Pyongyang was focused not only on defense but also on strengthening a 'deadly and destructive offensive posture'.
Analyst's View
Analyst Yang Moo-jin, a former president of the University of North Korean Studies, told AFP that the details provided by Pyongyang amounted to 'a show of force against the South Korean capital region'. He noted the 90km range for multiple rocket launchers, the 65km range for howitzers, and identifying targets such as airfields, ports, and power plants.
International Context
North Korea is subject to multiple United Nations sanctions banning its nuclear weapons development and use of ballistic missile technology, restrictions it has repeatedly flouted. This month, Kim vowed to beef up North Korea's defense capabilities, citing military modernization efforts by South Korea and the United States that he said were pushing the region 'to the brink of a nuclear war'. Days later, he said North Korea would equip its navy with nuclear weapons and build larger warships.
