North korea: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has emphasized the importance of enhancing the country's mortar and howitzer forces during his inspection of key munitions factories, as reported by state media on Wednesday. Kim's visit to several munitions industrial enterprises on Monday aimed to evaluate the execution of the nation's munitions production plan for the first half of the year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during his visit to a bullet production factory, Kim outlined crucial tasks for establishing a production system for high-precision multipurpose bullets of various calibers. He underscored the necessity to bolster the mortar and howitzer forces and to advance significant tasks for establishing a specialized artillery production complex and a small-arms production factory.

Kim was accompanied by prominent defense officials, including Jo Chun-ryong, a party secretary, and Kim Jong-sik, the first director of the ruling party's munitions industry department. North Korea has been intensifying efforts to enhance its military capabilities in alignment with a five-year defense development plan revealed at a key party congress in February.

During a visit to a munitions factory last week, Kim announced plans for North Korea to deploy a "new 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer" along its border with South Korea by the year's end. He also witnessed a maneuvering assessment test aboard the 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon ahead of its commissioning.