North Korean state media has released images of leader Kim Jong Un personally driving a mobile, nuclear-capable multiple rocket launcher during a military ceremony in Pyongyang.
The display featured 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launch systems arranged in formation in a central square, with dozens of launch vehicles lined up in rows. Each four-axle transporter carries five rocket tubes. Footage showed Kim stepping down from one of the vehicles and later smiling as he sat behind the wheel.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim “personally drove a launcher vehicle to review the weaponry symbolic of absolute power” ahead of the country’s upcoming Ninth Party Congress.
Kim described the 600mm rockets, roughly double the size of those used in many conventional multiple launch systems, as comparable in capability to short-range ballistic missiles. He also claimed the weapons incorporate artificial intelligence into their guidance systems.
“No other nations have got this kind of weapon system,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA, adding that it “has completely changed the role and conception of artillery accepted by modern warfare.”
The event comes as North Korea prepares for a major ruling party congress, a period typically marked by heightened propaganda and military exhibitions. Pyongyang has a history of unveiling or highlighting new weapons systems around key political gatherings.
Regional tensions remain high between North Korea and South Korea, which is backed by a significant US military presence. KCNA previously claimed the 600mm rocket system could reach targets across South Korea and be fitted with tactical nuclear warheads.
International observers estimate North Korea possesses around 50 nuclear warheads, along with enough fissile material to potentially expand that number. In addition to its rocket artillery systems, Pyongyang maintains a range of delivery platforms from short-range missiles designed for regional use to intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States mainland.
A 2020 report by the RAND Corporation warned that North Korea’s thousands of conventional artillery systems positioned within range of South Korean population centers could cause catastrophic casualties in a short period if used against civilian targets.
During Wednesday’s ceremony, held near Pyongyang’s April 25 House of Culture, red banners promoting the Ninth Party Congress framed the military hardware. Kim signaled that further announcements on strengthening the country’s defense capabilities could follow during the congress, urging weapons developers and munitions workers to intensify their efforts under the party’s strategic plan.
