The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on May 6 visited a major munitions industry enterprise and acquainted himself with the production of major weapons and combat equipment in the first half of the year.

Accompanying him were Jo Chun Ryong, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, Kim Jong Sik, first vice department director of the C.C., WPK, Pak Jong Chon, advisor to the Ministry of National Defence, Kim Kang Il, vice-minister of National Defence and director of the General Armaments Bureau, Yu Chang Son, director of the Artillery Bureau of the General Staff, Kim Myong Son, director of the Armaments Examination Bureau of the Ministry of National Defence, and Kim Yong Hwan, president of the Academy of Defence Sciences.

Comrade Kim Jong Un learned about the production of new-type self-propelled gun-howitzers for three battalions to be deployed at the long-range artillery unit in the southern borderline within this year under the decision of the First Plenary Meeting of the Ninth Central Committee of the WPK.

He heard in detail the opinions of experts on the results of various traveling, topographical overcoming and submergence crossing test of the new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer carriage and the test-fire of improved shell conducted under the supplementary test plan.

He expressed great satisfaction over the fact that the research group and the working class in the field of defence sciences have made signal successes in manufacturing new-generation artillery weapon with very high mobility and striking power.

He extended militant encouragement to the workers at the enterprise who are waging a dynamic labor struggle to attain the set artillery weapon production goal, registering high results every day with the bold creation stamina and revolutionary spirit, true to the idea and decision of the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee.

Appreciating the advantage of the new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer system being produced at the enterprise for the first time, Comrade Kim Jong Un mentioned about its military and strategic value.

He said that the striking range of this large-caliber rifled gun for the frontline units to newly equip themselves, along with various operational and tactical missile systems and powerful multiple rocket launcher systems, is over 60 km and such rapid extension of striking range and remarkable improvement of striking capability will provide a great change and advantage in the land operations of our army. And he added that we should redefine the operational concept of the use of forces and equipment on the basis of the actual conditions in which new weapons and equipment are being introduced.

He said that the new-type artillery weapon system with superior mobility, high combat environment information processing capability and automatic firing system will bring about a radical improvement in the composition of our artillery force and have an important significance in implementing the Party's military strategic policy on bolstering up the long-range artillery force.

Referring to some defects latent in the composition of production system, processing district and arrangement of equipment at the enterprise, he gave an instruction on working out a plan to introduce an automatic streamlined production system based on a more efficient and innovative idea.

He stressed the need to always pay deep attention to constantly improving the production conditions and environment.

That day, Comrade Kim Jong Un inspected a new-type main battle tank and various launchers which are being produced by the Armored Weapons Institute and several munitions industry enterprises.

He said that it is urgent to technically remodel into an ultra-modern level in the shortest period the major munitions industry enterprises, which are in a key position in the work to improve the modernity of our armed forces, and to build up a modern production and management system, adding that the Second Plenary Meeting of the Ninth Central Committee of the WPK will examine and approve the plans for technical renovation of the relevant munitions industry enterprises and the related budget.

He reaffirmed that the year 2026 will also record an unprecedented upgrade in the course of struggle for bolstering up the national defence capability of the country, calling for achieving signal successes every day by making strenuous efforts to bolster up the national defence capability, the most vivid expression of patriotism.

Comrade Kim Jong Un's on-site guidance over the defence field on the day is an important occasion in increasing the country's defence capabilities in a practical way.