North Korean authorities recently ordered regional weapons factories to dramatically increase production. Government officials say they are doing so because of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but they also appear to have exports in mind.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a Daily NK source in North Korea said Wednesday that North Korean authorities recently ordered a weapons factory in Chagang Province to increase this year’s production of munitions fivefold from last year. The factory produces a variety of missiles.
“Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at a historic high due to the military machinations of the U.S. imperialists and the South Korean puppets,” the text of the order read. “We must expand the production of weapons to respond to the war fever of the enemy forces.”
In other words, the order pointed to the tensions caused by joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises as the reason for the need to increase weapons production.
“If we fail to meet our production target for ammunition every quarter, it may be difficult to overwhelmingly suppress the enemy’s war plans,” the order said. “It is imperative that we fulfill the Workers’ Party’s goals.”
Daily NK is aware that the same order was sent to another weapons factory producing shells, warheads, and other munitions in North Pyongan Province.
No mention of exports to Russia
All of this suggests that North Korean authorities are ramping up production at major weapons factories this year.
However, they have made no mention of plans to export munitions to Russia or elsewhere. That being said, another source with intimate knowledge of the North Korean weapons sector told Daily NK that North Korea would not need a fivefold increase in weapons production for its use alone.
In short, North Korean authorities appear to be expanding weapons production to earn foreign currency through exports.
The country has also increased the amount of supplies going to its weapons factories compared to previous years.
“Once-empty warehouses have recently been filled with steel, alloy materials, and various compounds,” the second source said. “There are so many supplies that even if we produced [weapons] until the end of the year, there would still be some left over.”
In short, North Korean authorities appear to be focusing the country’s financial resources on acquiring the raw materials the munitions factories need to produce weapons.
Meanwhile, workers who were transferred to the ammunition factories from contract manufacturing plants due to increased weapons production after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia last year are still working in weapons production.
“As the workload in the ammunition factories continues to increase, more workers are needed,” the source said. “People who were mobilized last year will likely continue to work in the weapons factories for the time being.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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