North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has signaled that Pyongyang will continue to accelerate the development of its missile and munitions programs over the next five years, underscoring the central role of weapons production in the country’s military strategy as it prepares for a key ruling party congress in early 2026.
According to a report carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday, Kim made the remarks while visiting major munitions enterprises in the final quarter of 2025. During the inspections, he emphasized that the missile and artillery production sector is of “paramount importance” in strengthening North Korea’s war deterrent, a phrase frequently used by Pyongyang to justify its expanding nuclear and missile capabilities.
KCNA said Kim ratified draft documents outlining plans to modernize key munitions enterprises. These proposals are expected to be submitted to the upcoming congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, which will set North Korea’s national development goals for the next five-year period. Such congresses are rare but highly significant events in the North’s political calendar, often used to formalize long-term economic and military priorities.
While KCNA did not provide technical details, the emphasis on modernization suggests continued investment in missile production lines, precision-guided munitions, and supporting industrial infrastructure. Analysts say the move aligns with Kim’s long-standing push to upgrade the quality, reliability, and survivability of North Korea’s strategic weapons rather than simply expanding their numbers.
The report follows closely on the heels of another high-profile disclosure by KCNA on Thursday, which showed Kim overseeing the construction of what was described as an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine. The images also prominently featured Kim’s daughter, widely viewed by outside observers as a potential heir, further reinforcing speculation about succession planning alongside military modernization.
KCNA said the submarine project is intended to enhance the country’s maritime nuclear deterrent, a long-standing goal for Pyongyang as it seeks to develop a more survivable second-strike capability. A nuclear-powered submarine would, in theory, allow North Korea to deploy ballistic or cruise missiles from extended patrols, complicating detection and tracking by adversaries.
In the same report, state media also highlighted the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles, presenting the system as evidence of improvements in air defense capabilities. Such tests come amid heightened concern in Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo over North Korea’s expanding and increasingly diverse weapons portfolio, which now includes intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), hypersonic glide vehicles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and advanced air defense systems.
Kim’s recent public activities suggest a deliberate effort to link weapons development with broader state planning. By tying missile and munitions modernization directly to the forthcoming party congress, the leadership appears to be embedding military priorities into the core of the country’s economic and industrial strategy for the next half-decade.
North Korea has repeatedly framed its weapons buildup as a response to what it calls hostile policies by the United States and its allies, including joint military exercises and the presence of U.S. strategic assets in the region. Pyongyang insists its programs are defensive in nature, though critics argue they destabilize the Korean Peninsula and undermine international nonproliferation efforts.
As the early 2026 party congress approaches, observers expect further displays of military achievements, including additional missile tests or weapons rollouts, designed to showcase progress and reinforce Kim’s authority. Together, the visits to munitions factories, the submarine revelation, and the latest missile tests signal that North Korea’s focus on strategic weapons development is set to remain at the center of its national agenda well into the next five years.
