Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has called for an increase in the production of new artillery shells that meet the demands of modern warfare. This information was reported by the Yonhap agency, citing North Korean state media. The statements were made during an inspection of a large military factory, but specific details were not disclosed.
During his visit to the factory specializing in ammunition production, Kim Jong Un familiarized himself with the shell manufacturing process, production capacities, and modernization measures implemented in the first half of the year.
The North Korean leader emphasized the importance of further expanding production capabilities in order to
“meet all the requirements of the national defense strategy and increase the production of powerful new-type shells to comply with the demands of modern warfare.”
– Kim Jong Un
He also highlighted the need to raise the level of automation in production processes to boost the output of new artillery shells.
These statements emerged against the backdrop of reports that North Korea has supplied Russia with military units, containers of artillery shells, and other military equipment to support the war against Ukraine.
North Korea’s Cooperation with Russia in the War Against Ukraine
In 2024, North Korea and Russia signed a strategic partnership agreement that includes cooperation in the defense sector. In May 2025, Kim Jong Un officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine.
According to South Korean intelligence, by October 2024 North Korea had already sent about 1,500 special forces to Russia and plans to involve up to 12,000 military personnel in the conflict. Official Pyongyang denies these accusations, calling them “baseless rumors.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in October 2024 that North Korea had effectively joined the war against Ukraine. In November 2024, Ukraine’s defense minister confirmed the first clashes between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and North Korean troops on Russian territory.
In January 2025, Ukrainian forces captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. South Korea expressed readiness to accept the prisoners, recognizing them as its citizens.
In April 2025, North Korea officially confirmed the participation of its military in combat operations against Ukraine, citing Article 4 of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty with Russia, signed in 2024.
On April 26, 2025, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, officially acknowledged the involvement of North Korean troops in liberating territory in the Kursk region, marking the first public confirmation of their presence in the war.