North Korean state media revealed that Kim Jong Un inspected a factory producing a new model of 155mm self-propelled howitzers, which are set to be deployed along the South Korean border within this year, with a range exceeding 60 kilometers.
On 9 May 2026, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim Jong Un, North Korea's supreme leader, visited a weapons factory last Wednesday to monitor progress in producing the new 155mm self-propelled howitzers, which are planned for deployment along the border with South Korea within this year.
The report stated that these new weapons will be delivered to three long-range artillery battalions positioned near the southern border. The new self-propelled howitzers have a firing range exceeding 60 kilometers, sufficient to strike from North Korea's frontline to Seoul, South Korea.
KCNA further stated that Kim Jong Un emphasized that 2026 would be another year of unprecedented enhancement of military capabilities, urging officials and the military industry to accelerate combat readiness and achieve significant daily progress.
This move occurs amid ongoing tension on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has continued to develop its weapons and military capabilities amid joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, which North Korea views as a security threat.
Source: Yonhap