Overview
- KCNA, which released photos Friday, said Kim Jong Un inspected a factory producing the self-propelled 155 mm guns and ordered deployment to border units within the year.
- North Korea claims a range of more than 60 kilometers, which could put much of Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province in reach since the capital sits roughly 50 to 60 kilometers from the frontier.
- Outside experts have not verified the artillery’s range, precision, or readiness, and only still images from state outlets have been published so far.
- Kim framed the move as a rapid buildup of ground firepower and said additional rocket and multiple rocket launchers will go to the front following April tests that South Korea and Japan said violated UN bans.
- The naval push also featured Kim watching trials on the destroyer Choe Hyon, which state outlets say will join the fleet by mid-June, underscoring a broader military drive as Pyongyang shuns Seoul’s recent offer of talks.