Defying Washington and Seoul…the North Korean leader orders an increase in missile production in 2026

AFP North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered to “expand” and modernize missile production in the country next year and build more factories to meet the growing demand, according to official media reported Friday. The official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim asked munitions factories that he visited with senior officials to prepare to meet the future needs of “missile and artillery forces.” Kim added that these factories need to “enhance production capacity” to keep pace with the demand of the armed forces in Pyongyang, directing the construction of new ammunition factories. The North Korean leader considered that “the missile and missile production sector is of utmost importance in strengthening deterrence power.”