North Korean leader visits major weapons factory

ANKARA

Visiting major weapons factories along with ruling party leadership, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for more weapons production, state-run media said on Wednesday.

Kim visited major industrial establishments and a factory producing medical appliances along with Workers' Party leaders on Tuesday after ending a four-day meeting of the party’s Central Committee, state Korean Central News Agency reported.

"(Kim) went to major industrial establishments with his plan to bring about a fresh upsurge in the development of the national economy and make the overall socialist construction seethe with creation and changes," it said.

He also stressed the munitions productions goal for this year and arming the country in order to properly organize and guide the modernization of production lines.

Critics charge that North Korea prioritizes weapons production to fuel its aggressive foreign policy at the expense of the public welfare.

During the four-day meeting, the ruling party elite deliberated on “shortcomings” in the national economy, as well as in the country’s justice system.

It was the first meeting since last month’s visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, when the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty vowing to provide each other military assistance "without delay" if either is attacked by a third country.

On Tuesday, North Korea said it successfully test-fired a “new type of ballistic missile” capable of carrying a 4.5-metric ton (4.96-ton) warhead.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid