North Korea is set to enhance its defense capabilities by introducing a new self-propelled howitzer along its border with South Korea by the year’s end. The Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a munitions factory to oversee the production of a “new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer” designated for three battalions stationed at a long-range artillery unit near the “southern border.”
The newly developed self-propelled gun-howitzer boasts a striking range of over 60 kilometers, enabling it to target Seoul from North Korean front-line positions. Kim emphasized that 2026 would witness a significant advancement in bolstering the country’s national defense capability, urging cadres to strive for daily achievements in strengthening military readiness.
In a separate report by the Korean Central News Agency, Kim inspected the 5,000-tonne warship Choe Hyon to oversee a maneuvering assessment test before its commissioning. Accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae, Kim boarded the destroyer to participate in a navigation test in the Yellow Sea, evaluating the vessel’s operational capabilities and combat readiness.
Expressing contentment with the progress in the ship’s construction, Kim instructed for its delivery to the navy by mid-June as per the schedule. Pyongyang has conducted strategic cruise missile tests from the Choe Hyon destroyer, raising concerns among analysts about its potential to carry nuclear warheads.
