North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has recently conducted an inspection of a newly established missile production line in the country, as reported by state media. The inspection took place on a Sunday, just prior to Kim’s scheduled visit to China to attend a large-scale military parade in Beijing.
During his visit to a local munitions factory, Kim highlighted that North Korea’s missile production capabilities have seen a rapid increase. Reports from the official Korean Central News Agency indicate that Kim also endorsed three new long-term plans aimed at further enhancing missile production capacity.
According to intelligence assessments from South Korean and Western sources, North Korea has been supplying missiles and other armaments to Russia for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and has deployed thousands of troops as well. In contrast, China continues to be North Korea’s principal ally, providing significant diplomatic, economic, and political support while the country navigates extensive international sanctions.
Kim’s factory tour comes just before his departure to Beijing, where he will join various world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the military parade. Experts suggest that by underscoring advances in missile production, Pyongyang is attempting to assert its deterrent capabilities against the United States and South Korea. This also serves as a signal that North Korea is on track to fulfill its five-year missile production objectives, according to Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.
The upcoming parade in Beijing marks the commemoration of 80 years since the conclusion of World War II and is considered significant as it represents Kim’s first participation in a multilateral international gathering.
