What did Kim Jong-un demand from North Korea’s artillery forces during his factory visits?

Kim said artillery should have the most concentrated and destructive, massive and versatile offensive capability. He said it must responsibly carry out the two missions of deterring war and fighting war.

NK leader calls for 'most concentrated and destructive' artillery capability

Q: Who accompanied Kim Jong-un when he inspected the munitions factories?

KCNA said Kim was accompanied by senior officials, including Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party. The report said he visited munitions enterprises from Wednesday to Friday.

Q: What weapons and production upgrades did Kim Jong-un emphasize at the factories?

He called for raising the artificial intelligence level of offensive and defensive weapons, upgrading the armor and automation of artillery weapons, and improving production conditions. Shin Jong-woo said Kim appeared to have visited factories producing 600 mm and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers, as well as drones.

Listen

Summary

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for the country’s artillery forces to have the most concentrated and destructive capabilities during visits to major munitions factories earlier this week. KCNA said he inspected munitions enterprises from Wednesday to Friday with senior officials, including Pak Jong-chon. He also outlined tasks such as raising the artificial intelligence level of offensive and defensive weapons and upgrading artillery armor and automation. Kim appeared to have visited factories producing 600 mm and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers and drones.

Key Facts

Kim Jong-un inspected munitions enterprises from Wednesday to Friday, according to KCNA.
Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, accompanied Kim during the visits.
Kim said artillery should have the most concentrated and destructive, massive and versatile offensive capability and carry out deterrence and wartime missions.
He said the munitions industry should help the ruling Workers’ Party build the most powerful army.
Kim outlined policy tasks including improving the artificial intelligence level of offensive and defensive weapons, upgrading artillery armor and automation, and improving production conditions.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 19, 2026 10:25 am KST

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspects a munitions factory in this photo captured from North Korea's official Korean Central TV, Saturday. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for his country's artillery forces to have the "most concentrated and destructive" capabilities as he visited major munitions factories earlier this week, state media reported Saturday.

Kim inspected munitions enterprises from Wednesday to Friday, accompanied by senior officials, including Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Our artillery should have the most concentrated and destructive, massive and versatile offensive capability and responsibly perform the two missions of deterring and fighting war," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying.

Kim said the munitions industry should play a bigger role in carrying out the strategic policy of the ruling Workers' Party to build the "most powerful army," according to the KCNA.

He outlined policy tasks, including enhancing the level of artificial intelligence of offensive and defensive weapons, upgrading the armor and automation of artillery weapons, and improving production conditions, it said.

Kim appears to have visited factories producing 600 millimeter and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers, as well as drones, according to Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Seoul-based Korea Defense and Security Forum.

Explore More