New multiple rocket launcher
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw another round of test firings for a new multiple rocket launch system, as reported by state media on Saturday. This system, slated for deployment to North Korean forces starting this year, is part of the country’s efforts to strengthen its arsenal targeting population centers in South Korea.
According to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, Friday’s test affirmed the effectiveness and destructive potential of the 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher and its guided shells. The agency noted that the system, which has been tested twice this year already, will be introduced to combat units between 2024 and 2026 to replace older weaponry.
In recent months, North Korea has accelerated its weapons testing activities, expanding its military capabilities amid stalled diplomacy with the United States and South Korea. Analysts suggest that Kim’s objective is to pressure the United States into acknowledging North Korea as a nuclear power and to negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.
Recent focus on artillery systems included salvo launches of 600-mm multiple rocket launchers in April, which state media described as simulated nuclear counterattacks against enemy targets. Additionally, North Korea conducted various cruise missile tests this year and flight-tested a solid-fuel intermediate-range missile with hypersonic warhead capabilities, purportedly designed to reach distant US targets in the Pacific, including Guam, a significant military hub.
Following Friday’s test, Kim directed for the maximization of production for the 240-mm multiple rocket launchers and their guided shells, stating that they would significantly enhance the combat capabilities of North Korean forces, as reported by the North Korean news agency.
While North Korean artillery systems are primarily aimed at targeting South Korea’s capital area, which houses half of the country’s 51 million population, South Korean military officials also suspect that the North’s recent tests are intended to assess weapons it plans to export to Russia.
Both US and South Korean officials have accused North Korea of supplying artillery shells, missiles, and other military equipment to Russia to support its war efforts in Ukraine.
In recent months, Kim has sought to elevate the visibility of his connections with Moscow and Beijing as part of his efforts to break out of diplomatic isolation and position himself within a united front against Washington.
