Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for his country's artillery forces to have the "most concentrated and destructive" capabilities as he visited major munitions factories earlier this week, state media reported Saturday. Kim inspected munitions enterprises from Wednesday to Friday, accompanied by senior officials, including Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim emphasized that the artillery should possess the most concentrated and destructive capabilities, which are massive and versatile, to effectively deter and fight war. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim as stating the importance of the munitions industry in advancing the strategic policy of the ruling Workers' Party to build the "most powerful army."

Kim outlined several policy tasks during his visit, which included enhancing the artificial intelligence level of both offensive and defensive weapons, upgrading armor and automation of artillery weapons, and improving production conditions. His inspection seems to have included factories producing 600 millimeter and 240 mm multiple rocket launchers, as well as drones, as noted by Shin Jong-woo, secretary-general of the Seoul-based Korea Defense and Security Forum.