North Korea’s Kim calls for expanded missile launcher production in preparation for ‘military showdown’

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for expanded production of missile launchers in preparation for a “military showdown” with South Korea and the United States, state media said Friday (Jan 5).

His comments, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, came shortly after Washington said Russia had used ballistic missiles and launchers provided by North Korea in a recent flurry of attacks on cities in Ukraine.

State media images showed Kim, his young daughter Ju Ae in tow, touring a factory that produces transport erector launchers (TELs) used for the country’s banned intercontinental ballistic missiles, before hailing a “dynamic drive for increased production” of the weapons.

Kim told workers increasing TEL production capacity was important “given the prevailing grave situation that requires the country to be more firmly prepared for a military showdown with the enemy”, KCNA said.

“He specified the immediate plan for production of varieties of TELs, long-term production plan and task of production capacity expansion” to bolster the country’s nuclear war deterrent, it added.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday that Pyongyang-supplied missiles, which have ranges of around 900km, were fired by Russia in two attacks on Ukraine within the past week.

“Our information indicates that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles,” Kirby told reporters in a briefing at the White House, using the North’s official name.

“This is a significant and concerning escalation of the DPRK’s support for Russia,” he added, calling for the US Congress to pass a package of vital military aid for Ukraine.

Kim met with Moscow’s President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s far east in September, with both Washington and Seoul subsequently accusing Pyongyang of shipping weapons for use in Ukraine, in exchange for satellite know-how.