Massive attacks and nuclear power. Kim Jong Un is testing the army's combat readiness

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected a multi-launch rocket launcher factory; he assessed them as a key element of the weapon, capable of “annihilating enemies through a sudden, precise strike,” North Korea's KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Kim said the weapons system produced at the plant “will completely change the composition of our missile forces” and “will be used in large numbers for massive attacks during military operations.” He added that it could be used as a “strategic means of attack,” the North Korean agency reported.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency assessed that KCNA's use of the word “strategic” suggests that the weapon system described may be capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The KCNA dispatch said the inspection took place on Sunday. The name and location of the plant were not provided.

The agency earlier said Kim also observed the launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles on Sunday, which “confirmed the integrity of the country's nuclear power and readiness to counterattack in the face of security threats.”

It was the latest in a series of events with Kim's participation aimed at highlighting military and economic progress ahead of the Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, scheduled for early 2026. Over the past week, the North Korean leader also visited the construction site of a nuclear-powered submarine and observed a surface-to-air missile test. (PAP)

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