(Seoul) North Korea announced Monday that it had developed a new control system for multiple rocket launchers that it believes could significantly strengthen its defense capabilities, according to state media.
The Academy of Defense Sciences in Pyongyang on Saturday successfully carried out a “ballistic control test of 240 mm caliber shells fired from a multiple rocket launcher” in order to develop a “control system” for this type of weapon, reported the official KCNA news agency.
The new rocket launcher will be “re-evaluated” and its role is expected to be increased on the battlefield, KCNA said.
Nuclear-armed North Korea this year declared South Korea its “primary enemy,” closed agencies dedicated to reunification, and threatened war over any territorial violations.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reiterated Friday that Pyongyang would not hesitate to “terminate” South Korea in the event of an attack, calling Seoul a “major hostile nation and an immutable enemy.”
In January, North Korea carried out artillery attacks with live ammunition near two border islands with South Korea, which ordered residents to evacuate, and responded with artillery drills.
Kim Jong-un has also stepped up his weapons testing, including this year launching a series of cruise missiles, a type of weapon the North could supply to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict, analysts say .
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has promised a firm response if Pyongyang is attacked, calling on his military to “act first, report later” if provoked.
The South Korean leader has strengthened defense cooperation with the United States and Japan since taking power in 2022, including with expanded joint exercises, to counter growing threats from Pyongyang.