North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the expansion and modernization of the country’s missile production starting in 2026. According to state media reports on Friday, he also directed the construction of new weapons factories to meet growing demand. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim inspected several ammunition and weapons plants with senior officials and instructed them to fulfill the operational needs of the state’s missile and artillery forces. Kim emphasized that overall production capacity must be increased to keep pace with the armed forces’ requirements, describing missile and ammunition manufacturing as crucial to strengthening war deterrence. In recent years, North Korea has significantly increased missile testing, which analysts say aims to improve strike precision, challenge the United States and South Korea, and test weapons before potential exports to other countries such as Russia. The report followed news that Kim had visited a nuclear submarine plant, pledging to counter South Korea’s nuclear submarine development and being briefed on research into new underwater weapons. The ruling Workers’ Party is set to hold its first congress in five years in early 2026 to finalize the next five-year economic and military development plan.