Daily Times

North Korean leader Kim Jong has called for an increase in missile production to help secure “overwhelming military power” and be ready for war, state media KCNA said on Monday, as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual military drills. Kim gave the order as he visited key munitions factories that produce tactical missiles, missile launch platforms, armoured vehicles and artillery shells on Friday and Saturday. His field inspection was the latest in a string of visits to arms factories, where he ordered mass production of weapons, and came days before South Korea and the U.S. are to begin annual military drills, which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for war.

Kim noted an “important goal to dramatically increase” missile production capacity to meet the needs of the expanded and strengthened frontline military units, KCNA said. “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 other plants, Kim inspected and drove a new utility combat armoured vehicle, and praised recent progress in modernising production lines for large-caliber multiple rocket launcher rounds, KCNA said.