Korean Arms Race
North Korea Expands Weapons Tests; South Korea Prepares Massive Drone Defense
Key Points
South Korea plans to train 500,000 drone operators (described as 'drone warriors') and deploy thousands of domestically produced drones to counter Pyongyang's growing missile and artillery threat.
The 155mm self-propelled howitzer shells were tested with an extended range of 65 kilometers.
The tactical ballistic missile test included a 'special mission warhead' intended for devastating damage on major targets such as airfields, ports and power facilities.
The 240mm MLRS is described as a corps-level firepower system with automated firepower and autonomous precision guidance capabilities.
Separately, Kim oversaw the commissioning of a new 5,000-ton naval destroyer, the Choe Hyon, signaling Pyongyang's expanding naval capabilities.
North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversaw a sweeping series of weapons tests this week, timed to the 76th anniversary of the Korean War's start on June 25. The tests covered three major systems: an upgraded 240mm multiple rocket launcher, tactical ballistic missiles fitted with a "special mission warhead," and extended-range 155mm self-propelled howitzer shells that struck targets 65 kilometers away, according to KCNA.
Kim framed the drills as a "permanent deterrent," saying adversaries must remain in a "constant state of fear." South Korea fired back the same day with its own announcement: it will train 500,000 "drone warriors" and flood North Korean launch zones with domestically built drones, per the ROK Ministry of National Defense.
New Rockets Can Hit All of Greater Seoul
The upgraded 240mm MLRS — a corps-level rocket system — now reaches 90 kilometers with what Pyongyang calls "autonomous precision guidance." That puts every one of greater Seoul's 25 million residents inside its strike radius. Rodong Sinmun reported "centimeter-level" accuracy in tests fired into the East Sea on June 15.
Defense analysts say the precision jump is not accidental. CSIS notes that North Korea likely integrated GPS or GLONASS-style targeting technology through recent technical exchanges with Russia. Ankit Panda of the Carnegie Endowment warned the automation shortens the "kill chain" — the time it takes to fire — making South Korea's preemptive strike systems harder to use.
'Special Mission Warheads' Target Ports and Power Grids
Between June 23 and 25, Kim watched the launch of tactical ballistic missiles carrying what Pyongyang called "special mission warheads." The stated targets: airfields, seaports, and power facilities. Dr. Victor Cha of CSIS says the phrase likely refers to either low-yield tactical nuclear devices or thermobaric munitions — weapons designed to collapse bunkers and destroy port infrastructure in a single blast.
The 155mm howitzer shell test on June 20 raised a separate red flag. North Korea traditionally uses Soviet-standard 152mm artillery. The shift to 155mm — the Western standard — suggests Pyongyang may be building shells compatible with export markets, including potentially Russia's war in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
South Korea's 500,000-Strong Drone Army as a Counter
Seoul's "Drone Warrior" initiative, announced June 26, aims to train 500,000 operators by 2028. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said, "The era of traditional artillery dominance is being challenged by autonomous swarms," according to Yonhap. The plan calls for thousands of small, domestically built drones that are hard for conventional air defenses to shoot down.
President Yoon Suk Yeol put it bluntly: "For every missile Pyongyang builds, we will deploy a thousand eyes in the sky." The drone push is an "offset" strategy — instead of matching North Korea rocket-for-rocket, Seoul aims to saturate potential launch sites with cheap, swarming aircraft that overwhelm any single defense system.
A New Destroyer and a $2.4 Billion Russia Arms Pipeline
The weapons tests were not the only milestone this month. On June 1, North Korea commissioned the Choe Hyon, a 5,000-ton naval destroyer — the largest surface warship in its fleet, according to Jane's Defence. The vessel signals a push beyond coastal waters deep into the Sea of Japan, a major shift for a navy historically built for harbor defense.
Underpinning all of it is a deepening financial and technical link with Russia. The Wall Street Journal estimates North Korea and Russia have traded roughly $2.4 billion in arms over the past two years. 38 North reports a surge in freight rail traffic between the two countries, suggesting Pyongyang is using its modernization program as both a defense upgrade and a weapons showroom for Moscow.
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