North Korea Announces 2026 Deployment of New 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzers and Naval Destroyer

North Korea said on May 8, 2026 that it will deploy new long-range artillery systems this year capable of striking South Korea's capital region. The country also said it will commission its first naval destroyer in coming weeks. Kim Jong Un visited a munitions factory on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 to inspect production of 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers.

The systems are to be deployed at an artillery unit in the southern border area within 2026, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The striking range of the new large-caliber rifled gun is over 60 kilometers. Kim Jong Un stated that the rapid extension of striking range and remarkable improvement of striking capability will provide a great change and advantage in the land operations of our army.

Various operational and tactical missile systems and powerful multiple rocket launcher systems are scheduled to be deployed along the border. North Korea plans to deploy a new self-propelled howitzer along its border with South Korea by the end of 2026.

The new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer is destined for three battalions to be stationed at a long-range artillery unit along the southern border.

Seoul, South Korea has a population of 10 million people. Seoul is located about 40 to 50 kilometers from the border with North Korea. North Korea already deploys many artillery guns near the border with South Korea.

Kim Jong Un rode on the destroyer Choe Hyon on Thursday, May 7, 2026 to review its maneuverability off North Korea’s west coast. He ordered authorities to hand over the destroyer Choe Hyon to the navy in mid-June as scheduled. All tests for the destroyer Choe Hyon’s operational commissioning progressed smoothly.

Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter appeared with him on the destroyer Choe Hyon on May 7, 2026. South Korea’s spy service said in April 2026 that Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter could be considered his heir. The destroyer Choe Hyon was unveiled in 2025 and is North Korea’s largest and most advanced warship.

North Korea unveiled a second destroyer of the same class that was damaged during a botched launching ceremony. Kim Jong Un has called for building two more destroyers. South Korea stated on May 5, 2026 that North Korea’s newly revised constitution drops all references to Korean unification.

The revised North Korean constitution redefines its territory only as the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jong Un ordered the rewriting of the constitution in January 2024 to eliminate the idea of shared statehood with South Korea. Kim Jong Un met with participants of the 11th congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League and called for a greater role of young people in achieving national development.

North Korea dismissed allegations that it was behind a recent international hacking case on May 8, 2026. North Korea accused the United States of pushing an absurd slander to tarnish the image of our country by spreading false information about a cyber threat from Pyongyang.

North Korea criticized Japan on May 8, 2026 over its move to revise the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy and Defense Buildup Program within this year.

North Korea called Japan’s security document revisions a brazen challenge to global peace and humanity.