[1/5]North Korean chief Kim Jong Un visits a key navy manufacturing facility on this undated photograph launched by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 14, 2023. KCNA through REUTERS
SEOUL, Aug 14 (Reuters) – North Korean chief Kim Jong Un has known as for a rise in missile manufacturing to assist safe “overwhelming military power” and be prepared for struggle, state media KCNA stated on Monday, as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual navy drills.
Kim gave the order as he visited key munitions factories that produce tactical missiles, missile launch platforms, armoured autos and artillery shells on Friday and Saturday.
His subject inspection was the most recent in a string of visits to arms factories, the place he ordered mass manufacturing of weapons, and got here days earlier than South Korea and the U.S. are to start annual navy drills, which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for struggle.
Kim famous an “important goal to dramatically increase” missile manufacturing capability to fulfill the wants of the expanded and strengthened frontline navy items, KCNA stated.
“The qualitative levels of war preparations depend on the development of the munitions industry, and the factory has a tremendous responsibility in accelerating our military’s war preparations,” he was quoted as saying.
At different vegetation, Kim inspected and drove a brand new utility fight armoured car, and praised latest progress in modernising manufacturing strains for large-caliber a number of rocket launcher rounds, KCNA stated.
There was a “very urgent need” to “exponentially increase” the manufacturing of such rockets to strengthen frontline artillery items, he stated.
“Our army must thoroughly secure overwhelming military power and solid readiness to handle any war at any time, so that the enemy does not dare to use force, and would be annihilated if it does,” Kim stated.
South Korea and the United States stated on Monday that they’d stage the Ulchi Freedom Guardian summer time workout routines on Aug. 21-31 to enhance their capacity to answer North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
North Korea has denounced the allies’ navy drills as a rehearsal for nuclear struggle.
This yr’s drills might be held on the “largest scale ever”, mobilising tens of 1000’s of troops from either side, in addition to some member states of the U.N. Command, for about 30 subject coaching programmes, in response to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
“The exercises are an essential element in maintaining robust combined defence posture in case of emergency – absolutely necessary to respond to the growing military threat from North Korea,” JCS spokesman Col. Lee Sung-jun instructed a briefing.
The United States has accused North Korea of offering weapons to Russia for its struggle in Ukraine, together with artillery shells, shoulder-fired rockets and missiles.
North Korea and Russia have denied any arms transactions.
The leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan are additionally set to debate safety cooperation over North Korea, Ukraine and different points after they collect for a trilateral summit on Aug. 18 at Camp David.
KCNA individually stated on Monday that Kim visited “typhoon-hit areas” after tropical storm Khanun swept over the Korean peninsula final week, flooding farmlands.
Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin
Editing by Chris Reese and Gerry Doyle
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
