N. Korea test-fires multiple rocket launcher equipped with new guidance system

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a test-fire of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a new guidance system, state media reported Wednesday, amid speculation that the new artillery system could be provided to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

Kim attended Tuesday's test of the multiple rocket launch system that is produced at defense industrial enterprises under the Second Economic Commission, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

The weapon could put Seoul and its adjacent areas within target range.

"The MRLS, technically updated in its maneuverability and concentrated firing capability, was proved to be advantageous in all indices, including newly applied guiding system, controllability, and destructive power," the agency said.

Kim "set forth an important policy to be pursued in producing new artillery pieces and equipping army units with them," it added, without providing further details.

In February, North Korea said it had newly developed "controllable" 240mm rocket launcher shells, a move that could boost its weapons capabilities with improvements in range and precision. In May, the country said it would deploy the weapon system to Korean People's Army units between 2024 and 2026.

Observers suggest that North Korea appears to be showcasing the performance of the rocket launcher in a bid to supply it to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine.

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the test is likely intended to improve the North's aging 240mm MRLS built in the 1980s.

He also raised the possibility that the test-firing could be a response to the ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States.

The test-firing came as South Korea and the United States have been conducting their annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which is set to conclude Thursday. North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint drills as preparations for an invasion against it.

When asked about the North's report, South Korea's military said it had detected and monitored the test-firing into the Yellow Sea.

"While maintaining a solid combined defense posture, our military will conduct the UFS exercise and combined field training exercises as normal, and is closely monitoring signs of North Korean provocations and military activities," a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. (Yonhap)