Kim Jong-un’s North Korea is rapidly becoming a pivotal player in the global military export market, with a marked increase in weapons tests and exports, notably to contentious regions and actors. Over the weekend, a spotlight was cast on this emerging dynamic as the North Korean leader directed his military to modernize artillery forces and “mass-produce multiple rocket launchers with high efficiency and reliability in bulk,” during a visit to a munitions factory.
The visit, which was well-publicized, included Kim Jong-un taking the wheel of a military vehicle used to transport a 240mm multiple rocket launcher system, an “updated version” of the system test-fired just last week. The North Korean leader called for the expansion of “scientific and technological capabilities to strengthen the artillery power” of the army. This visit may be a strategy to attract foreign buyers, with Russia, Iran, and Syria being potential customers, as suggested by Yang Uk, a military analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
South Korea’s defense ministry has reported that North Korea has shipped around 6,700 containers of weapons to Russia since a summit between the countries’ leaders last September. These shipments could encompass millions of rounds of artillery shells, adding a considerable boost to Russia’s military efforts in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency stated that Friday’s test confirmed the “advantage and destructive power” of the 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher and its guided shells, and that this system will be deployed to combat units starting this year, replacing older weapons. Furthermore, the North has conducted cruise missile tests and flight-tested a solid-fuel intermediate-range missile with hypersonic warhead capabilities this year, which experts say is designed to reach remote U.S. targets, including Guam.
Amidst these developments, the North Korean leader has made efforts to strengthen ties with Moscow, presumably to counteract diplomatic isolation and to form a united front against Washington. U.S. and South Korean officials have pointed out the North’s provision of military equipment to Russia as a means to extend its warfighting in Ukraine.
The intensification of North Korea’s military capabilities and its strategic move to market these capabilities internationally come at a time when diplomacy with the United States and South Korea remains stalled. Experts interpret these actions as Kim Jong-un’s attempt to negotiate from a position of military strength, seeking to pressure the United States into accepting North Korea as a nuclear power and to extract economic and security concessions from a place of increased leverage.
Relevant articles:
– Kim Jong-un tests out deadly weapons as North Korea becomes world military export hub , Express, 05/15/2024
– North Korean leader Kim supervises latest test of new multiple rocket launcher, ABC News, 05/14/2024
– Kim Jong Un Intensifies North Korea’s Military Arsenal, Tests New Rocket Launch System: Report, Benzinga, 05/11/2024