North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently toured the country’s missile factories and ordered a significant increase in production and the creation of a new company specializing in the defense sector.
This information was reported by state news agency KCNA.
The news agency said the measures are part of the Korean Workers’ Party’s strategy for 2026 and support Pyongyang’s aim to strengthen and expand its military industrial base. During the tour, state media published images of a workshop where about 100 KN-23 ballistic missiles were said to be in the assembly process.
The KN-23 is considered a copy of the Russian ballistic missile 9M723 (part of the Iskander system), but has technical and cosmetic differences from the original. In particular, changes have been made to the design of the rear compartment and structural components of the missile.
International analysts estimate that around a third of the ballistic missiles Russia used to attack Ukraine through 2024 were of the North Korean-made KN-23 type, indicating Pyongyang’s expanding role in weapons supply.
On the same day, Kim Jong-un also approved a draft document aimed at modernizing key companies in North Korea’s military-industrial complex. According to KCNA, the document is expected to be submitted to the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the general meeting of the party’s central committee, scheduled to be held in early 2026, where a new five-year development strategy for the country will be formulated.
Source/Image: KCNA. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
