PYONGYANG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) inspected the production of new-type self-propelled gun-howitzers to be deployed at the country's southern border this year during a visit to a major munitions enterprise on Wednesday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday.

Photo: IC

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was briefed on the results of various tests involving the new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer carriage and the test-firing of improved shells, the KCNA said.

The new-type artillery weapon system with superior mobility, high combat environment information processing capability and automatic firing system will bring about "a radical improvement" in the composition of the country's artillery force, the report cited Kim as saying.

On the same day, the DPRK leader also inspected a new-type main battle tank and various launching vehicles under production.

Kim reaffirmed that 2026 will "record an unprecedented upgrade" as the country bolsters its defense capabilities, said the report.