logo
Kim Jong Un Orders Boost in Modern Shell Production

Kim Jong Un Orders Boost in Modern Shell Production

The Sun14-06-2025
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected military industrial factories, calling them to expand production of shells that meet modern warfare needs, state media KCNA said on Saturday.
Kim visited lines for pressing metals and assembly on Friday, checked the progress of shell production in the first half of 2025, and suggested new tasks for improvement, KCNA said.
"If we are to increase the production of new, powerful shells of that meet the needs of... modern warfare, we need to expand and reinforce our production capacity, arrange the production process more rationally, and constantly increase the level of unmanned production," Kim said, according to KCNA.
In recent months, Kim's publicised moves have focused on strengthening the military and improving ties with Russia, while North Korean state media has mostly stayed quiet on criticisms against South Korea as the latter picked a new liberal president this month.
North Korea has supplied Russia with more than 20,000 containers of munitions, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, a group comprising 11 UN members, in May.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cyprus leaders to continue discussions on confidence building, says UN
Cyprus leaders to continue discussions on confidence building, says UN

The Star

time2 hours ago

  • The Star

Cyprus leaders to continue discussions on confidence building, says UN

An abandoned outpost is seen near the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia, Cyprus July 17, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou (Reuters) -Leaders of ethnically split Cyprus have agreed to continue discussions towards confidence building, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday, in a dispute which has kept NATO partners Greece and Turkey at odds for decades. The Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities will press ahead with attempts to open new crossing points between the two sides and cooperating on solar energy initiatives, Guterres said after hosting the Cypriot leaders at U.N. headquarters in New York. "It is critical to implement all these initiatives as soon as possible, for the benefit of all Cypriots," Guterres said. The two sides had agreed in an encounter with Guterres earlier this year to open four additional crossing points, demine, establish a youth affairs committee, and launch environmental and solar energy projects. There are presently nine crossing points along a 180-km-long (116-mile-long) ceasefire line splitting the two sides. Guterres said there was a "question of itinerary" in relation to one of the new checkpoints opening but that there had been important progress on the issue. Cyprus was split more than 50 years ago in a Turkish invasion after a brief Greek-inspired coup, following years of sporadic violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Reunification talks collapsed in mid-2017 and have been in a stalemate since. The Cyprus conflict is a key source of disagreement between NATO allies Greece and Turkey, fiercely defensive of their respective kin on the island. (Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Sandra Maler)

UN: Violence against children in conflict zones at 'unprecedented levels'
UN: Violence against children in conflict zones at 'unprecedented levels'

The Star

time7 hours ago

  • The Star

UN: Violence against children in conflict zones at 'unprecedented levels'

From Gaza to the Democratic Republic of Congo, violence against children in conflict zones reached 'unprecedented levels' in 2024, a United Nations annual report said last month. 'In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25% surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023,' according to the report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The report verified 41,370 grave violations against children in 2024 – including 36,221 committed in 2024 and 5,149 committed previously but confirmed in 2024 – the highest number since the monitoring tool was established nearly 30 years ago. The new high beats 2023, another record year, which itself represented a 21% increase over the preceding year. With more than 4,500 killed and 7,000 injured, children continue to bear 'the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks,' the report said. There was also a marked increase in the number of child victims of multiple violations to 22,495. 'The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball – but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings – should keep all of us awake at night,' said Virginia Gamba, special representative of the UN secretary-general for children and armed conflict. 'This must serve as a wake-up call. We are at the point of no return.' In its annual report, the UN compiles violations of the rights of children, those aged under 18, in some 20 conflict zones around the world. In its appendix, a 'list of shame' calls out those responsible for these violations which include child killings and mutilations, recruitment to violence, kidnappings, denial of humanitarian aid and sexual violence. Conflict casualties The Palestinian territories occupy the top spot in the dismal rankings, with more than 8,500 serious violations, the vast majority attributed to Israeli forces, including more than 4,800 in the Gaza Strip. This figure includes confirmation of 1,259 Palestinian children killed in Gaza, and the UN notes it is currently verifying information on an additional 4,470 children killed in 2024 in the war-torn territory. The report also calls out Israel's military operations in Lebanon, where more than 500 children were killed or injured last year. Following the Palestinian territories, the countries where the UN recorded the most violence against children in 2024 are: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (more than 4,000 grave violations), Somalia (more than 2,500), Nigeria (nearly 2,500), and Haiti (more than 2,200). The list also includes Haitian gang coalition Viv Ansanm, blamed for a 490% increase in violations, including child recruitment, murders and gang rapes. Another addition to the list is Colombian drug cartel Clan del Golfo, which is accused of child recruitment. Colombia in general recorded a significant increase in cases of forced recruitment, with 450 children in 2024 compared to 262 the previous year. Remaining on the list are the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have been fighting in Sudan for more than two years. Also listed is the Russian army for its actions in Ukraine, where the report records a 105% increase in serious violations between 2023 and 2024. – AFP

New pier completed at N. Korean rocket launch site
New pier completed at N. Korean rocket launch site

Free Malaysia Today

time13 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

New pier completed at N. Korean rocket launch site

North Korea successfully placed its first spy satellite in orbit in 2023. (EPA Images pic) PYONGYANG : Satellite imagery indicates that a new maritime pier has been completed at North Korea's key rocket station, where the latest spy satellite launches and other rocket tests have been conducted, satellite operator ICEYE said. The pier at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station seen via the imagery 'enables transport of larger rocket components than previously possible via rail', ICEYE said in findings provided to Reuters. Larger components would allow the site to host rockets that can travel longer distances. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2022 inspected the Sohae facility and ordered it to be modernised and expanded to ensure that various rockets, including those capable of carrying military spy satellites, could be launched, state media said. The facility has been used to put a satellite in orbit and also to test various missile components including rocket engines and space launch vehicles that South Korean and US officials say require similar technology to that used in intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). An image from July 9 also shows the pier with a newly constructed jetty and vessels indicating potential operational status, according to ICEYE, a sign that could help enhance Sohae's logistical capabilities. ICEYE added that it took about 28 months from initial reports to develop and complete the pier. Work to expand the road and rail infrastructure throughout the facility continues, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring programme. Satellite images, taken from December to July by the commercial satellite firm Planet Labs, also show what appears to be a pier under construction on the shore. Pyongyang's latest attempt to launch a military spy satellite at the Sohae site failed in May 2024 but Kim has vowed to never give up the space reconnaissance project that he views as crucial for national self defence against enemy threats. North Korea successfully placed its first spy satellite in orbit in November 2023. As part of growing military ties with Moscow, North Korea is likely getting help from Russia on its satellite programme in exchange for sending troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, South Korean officials have said. North Korea says its military activities, including nuclear weapons, are its sovereign right and only for self-defence. It accused the US and its allies of threatening it with 'hostile policies' such as military drills and sanctions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store