Images released by North Korea’s state-run media show that one of the weapon systems the country fired on 9 March appears to have been the same ‘super-large multiple rocket launcher [MRL]’ it had launched a week earlier as well as on 28 November, 31 October, 10 September, and 24 August 2019.
Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on 10 March that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had supervised the previous day another “strike drill” of the Korean People’s Army’s (KPA’s) “long-range artillery sub-units” that was aimed at “inspecting the sudden military counterattack capability” and combat readiness of these units.
Kim was also quoted as saying that the KPA should further strengthen and improve artillery training and “conduct drills under the simulated conditions of an actual war”.
Although no further details were provided about the weapons involved in the firing exercise, images released by the media outlet show that several long-range artillery systems were used, including what appeared to be the ‘super-large MRL’, which is designated ‘KN-25’ by US Forces Korea.
Images were also shown of an islet – presumably off the eastern coast of North Korea in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) – being struck by artillery fire, with the KCNA stating that “the artillerymen on the front hit the target with excellent marksmanship”.
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