North Korea’s Kim orders making extra missiles forward of S. Korea, US drills

AFP

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 warfare, state media KCNA stated on Monday, as South Korea and the US gear up for annual army drills.

Kim gave the order as he visited key munitions factories that produce tactical missiles, missile launch platforms, armoured automobiles and artillery shells on Friday and Saturday.

His area 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 US are to start annual army drills, which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for warfare.

Kim famous an “important goal to dramatically increase” missile manufacturing capability to satisfy the wants of the expanded and strengthened frontline army 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 automobile, and praised current progress in modernising manufacturing strains for large-calibre 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 US stated on Monday that they might stage the Ulchi Freedom Guardian summer season workouts on August 21-31 to enhance their capacity to answer North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.

North Korea has denounced the allies’ army drills as a rehearsal for nuclear warfare.

This yr’s drills might be held on the “largest scale ever”, mobilising tens of 1000’s of troops from each side, in addition to some member states of the UN Command, for about 30 area coaching programmes, based on 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 advised a briefing.

The US has accused North Korea of offering weapons to Russia for its warfare 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 once they collect for a trilateral summit on August 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.