North Korean leader Kim oversees weapons tests, KCNA reports
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- Kim Jong Un oversaw Thursday's tests of an upgraded 240-mm, 24-tube multiple rocket launcher, tactical ballistic missiles, and a 155-mm self-propelled howitzer, according to KCNA.
- The upgraded rocket launcher features an autonomous precision guidance system and an extended firing range of 90 kilometres (56 miles).
- Kim framed the effort as border defence along the southern frontier — effectively the South Korea border — and said Pyongyang is pursuing automation, long-range capability, and 'ultra-precision' in its weapons programmes.
- In May, North Korea tested tactical ballistic missiles, artillery rockets, and AI-guided precision cruise missiles designed for modern warfare.
- Pyongyang has vowed to deploy its upgraded tactical and conventional arsenal near the South Korea border.
Why it matters: Kim's personal oversight of a rocket launcher now reaching 90 kilometres with autonomous guidance points squarely at South Korea. The stated 'ultra-precision' goal and explicit southern-border deployment vow give Pyongyang longer-reaching, more accurate options for any future clash on the peninsula.
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