FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Ministry of National Defense on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army in Pyongyang, North Korea in this picture released on February 9, 2024 by the Korean Central News Agency.  KCNA via REUTERS/File Photo
North Korea

North Korea Conducts Artillery Tests Under Kim's Watch

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday inspected the country's artillery weapon system and attended the test-firing of such weapons, the North's state media KCNA news agency reported on Saturday.

The KCNA report said Kim learned about the technically updated version of the 240 mm multiple rocket launcher system and watched the test-fire of controllable shells for multiple rocket launchers produced at different national defence industrial enterprises.

"The updated multiple rocket launcher with high mobility and concentration of fire has an automatic fire combined control system and will be deployed to units of the Korean People's Army as replacement equipment from 2024 to 2026," KCNA said, adding such "a significant change" will soon be made in increasing the artillery combat ability of the North's army.

Last month, Kim inspected the test-firing of 240 mm multiple launch rockets, where he said the 240 mm multiple launch rocket system will "bring about a strategic change in strengthening the country's military's artillery capabilities.

(Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Ju-min Park; Editing by Chris Reese)

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