North Korea to deploy 'technically updated' multiple rocket launcher amid tensions

Adding more to its arsenal, North Korea has announced that it will equip its military with a new 240mm multiple rocket launcher this year. State media on Saturday said that the army will also undergo a “significant change” in its artillery combat capabilities.

On Friday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the live testing of the “technically updated” rocket system, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The announcement comes at a time when North Korea is ramping up the production of artillery and cruise missiles that will be sent to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.

What is the new rocket launcher system?

Pyongyang in February said it had developed a new control system for its 240mm multiple rocket launcher that would lead to a “qualitative change” in its defence capabilities, and last month executed a test-firing of new shells.

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The updated rocket launcher will be “deployed to units of the Korean People’s Army as replacement equipment from 2024 to 2026”, KCNA.

However, South Korea’s Defence Ministry told AFP that it could not confirm that North Korea conducted test launches of the new rocket systems on Friday.

On the other hand, Pyongyang claims to have fired eight shells that “hit point target to intensively prove the advantage and destructive power of the updated 240mm multiple rocket launcher system”.

Images released by state media showed leader Kim conversing with military officials during an inspection of the launcher, as well as what appeared to be the live-fire test of the system.

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North Korea’s rising military prowess

The largely isolated country has recently bolstered military ties with Russia, and Pyongyang thanked Moscow last month for using its UN Security Council veto to block the renewal of a panel of UN experts that monitored international weapons sanctions on Kim’s regime.

KCNA said Saturday that Kim discussed ways to raise production of the new rocket launcher system and shells to “the highest level”.

It also said a “significant change will be soon made in increasing the artillery combat ability of our army”, without providing details.

With inputs from AFP