North Korea Announces Plan to Deploy New 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzers by End of 2026

North Korea plans to deploy a new self-propelled howitzer along its border with South Korea by the end of 2026, state media reported Friday. Kim Jong-un visited a munitions factory on May 6, 2026, to review production of a new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer destined for three battalions. Those units are to be stationed at a long-range artillery unit along the southern border.

The self-propelled gun-howitzer has a striking range exceeding 60 kilometers. During the visit Kim Jong-un reaffirmed that the year 2026 will record an unprecedented upgrade in the course of struggle for bolstering up the national defense capability of the country.

He urged cadres to achieve signal successes every day through intensified efforts to strengthen military readiness, according to the Korean Central News Agency report published on May 8, 2026.

In a separate development the same day, Kim Jong-un visited the 5,000-ton warship Choe Hyon on May 7, 2026. He observed a maneuvering assessment test aboard the vessel ahead of its commissioning. Ju-ae accompanied Kim Jong-un on the inspection of the warship Choe Hyon.

Kim Jong-un boarded the destroyer Choe Hyon and took part in a navigation test in the Yellow Sea. He inspected the vessel's operational capabilities and combat readiness. Expressing satisfaction with construction progress, he ordered the warship Choe Hyon to be delivered to the navy by mid-June 2026.

Pyongyang has conducted a series of strategic cruise missile tests from the destroyer Choe Hyon. North Korea unveiled the Choe Hyon destroyer in April 2025. The Kang Kon destroyer was launched in June 2025.

Following the Kang Kon launch, Kim Jong-un ordered the construction of a third vessel of the same class in time for the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's founding anniversary on Oct. 10. Yonhap reported both KCNA dispatches, which were published on May 8, 2026.

A photo of Kim Jong-un at the munitions factory was also published by KCNA that day. The KCNA report on the munitions factory visit stated that Kim inspected the production line for weapons intended to place Seoul within firing range of North Korean front-line positions.

The same report on the warship visit showed photos of Kim accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae while he examined combat systems before ordering the accelerated handover schedule.