North Korea Unveils 600 mm Rocket Launchers Ahead of Ninth Party Congress
Updated (61 articles)
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Image: YonhapThis photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 19, 2026, shows 600 millimeter-caliber multiple rocket launchers at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang after they were presented to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 18. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size -
Image: YonhapThese photos, published by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 19, 2026, show North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and 600 millimeter-caliber multiple rocket launchers at a ceremony the previous day to present them to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size -
Image: YonhapThis photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 19, 2026, shows 600 millimeter-caliber multiple rocket launchers at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang after they were presented to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 18. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size -
Image: YonhapThis photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 19, 2026, shows 600 millimeter-caliber multiple rocket launchers at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang after they were presented to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 18. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap) Source Full size
Launchers Delivered to Ninth Party Congress on Feb. 18 North Korean workers from a leading munitions firm completed 50 units of a new 600 mm multiple‑rocket launcher and handed them over during a ceremony in Pyongyang on Feb. 18, as reported by KCNA [1]. The delivery coincided with preparations for the Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Officials displayed the launchers publicly to signal progress in indigenous weapons production.
400‑km Range Tested with Kim Jong‑un in January The system can strike targets up to roughly 400 kilometers away, according to state media [1]. It was last test‑fired in January with Kim Jong‑un observing, and KCNA claimed the weapon is now ready for field deployment. The test demonstrated both range and the integration of advanced guidance technologies.
Kim Labels System World’s Most Advantageous Weapon In a speech at the launch ceremony, Kim Jong‑un called the launcher “the world’s most advantageous weapon for concentrated super‑powerful attack” [1]. He highlighted its precision, artificial‑intelligence integration, and compound guidance as revolutionary features. The rhetoric underscores the regime’s emphasis on strategic deterrence.
Potential to Cripple Enemy Command Infrastructure Instantly Kim asserted that once employed, the launcher would cause an adversary’s military infrastructure and command systems to “break down all at once” [1]. This claim suggests a focus on rapid, high‑intensity strikes against command‑and‑control nodes. The statement aligns with North Korea’s broader narrative of overwhelming conventional capability.
Congress Expected to Outline Self‑Reliant Defense Roadmap The Ninth Party Congress is slated to unveil a “next‑stage plan and goal for strengthening the self‑reliant defense capabilities,” hinting at a broader weapons‑development roadmap [1]. The inclusion of the launchers signals their role in future defense strategy. Analysts view the congress as a platform for showcasing new military achievements.
Launchers Displayed at April 25 House of Culture Photographs released by state media show rows of the launchers arranged in the yard of the April 25 House of Culture, the venue designated for the party congress [1]. The public display serves both propaganda and deterrence purposes. The venue’s selection underscores the symbolic importance of the event.
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Timeline
Dec 9, 2025 – North Korea fires about ten 240 mm multiple‑rocket‑launcher rockets toward the northern Yellow Sea in routine winter drills, prompting the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff to monitor the activity under a firm combined‑defense posture [29].
Dec 15, 2025 – South Korea deploys the Korean Tactical Surface‑to‑Surface Missile (KTSSM) at a ceremony in Wonju, branding it the “long‑range artillery killer” and linking the system to the 2010 Yeonpyeong Island shelling that spurred its development [28].
Dec 19, 2025 – Kim Jong‑un opens new regional factories in South Hwanghae Province, pays tribute to his father on the 14th anniversary of Kim Jong‑il’s death, and urges an “all‑out public effort” to finish Workers’ Party projects before the ninth party congress in 2026 [27].
Dec 24, 2025 – Kim Jong‑un oversees a test‑fire of new anti‑air missiles in the East Sea, which hit mock targets at roughly 200 km altitude, and he congratulates the crew, signalling continued emphasis on high‑altitude defense capabilities [25].
Dec 25, 2025 – Kim orders the expansion of missile and shell production, declaring that “increasing production is essential to bolster the war deterrent,” and ties the decision to the upcoming ninth party congress where new munitions factories will be approved [23].
Dec 28, 2025 – Kim personally supervises a launch drill of a long‑range strategic cruise missile, presenting the exercise as a demonstration of the regime’s reach and strategic intent [22].
Dec 29, 2025 – Kim visits a major munitions factory that produces multiple‑rocket‑launchers, urges a “revolution in upgrading the artillery weapon system,” and calls for a 2.5‑fold increase in production capacity ahead of the party congress [20].
Jan 4, 2026 – North Korea launches several ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area at 7:50 a.m., which travel roughly 900 km into the sea; the launches occur hours before President Lee Jae‑Myung departs for a state visit to China and prompt South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to heighten surveillance and share data with the United States and Japan [1][5][16][19][18].
Jan 5, 2026 – Kim Jong‑un watches the test of a hypersonic Hwasong‑11E missile that strikes a target about 1,000 km away in the East Sea, and he declares that “deterrence requires constant reminders that our strategic assets are ready for use anytime and anywhere,” linking the drill to the upcoming Workers’ Party congress [13].
Jan 27, 2026 – North Korea fires multiple short‑range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea; the Joint Chiefs of Staff report a flight distance of about 350 km, South Korea’s Office of National Security labels the launch a UN Security Council violation, an emergency security meeting convenes, and U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby ends his Korea visit and heads to Japan [11][10][12][8].
Jan 28, 2026 – Kim Jong‑un attends a test‑fire of a large‑caliber multiple‑rocket‑launcher system, where four rockets hit a maritime target 358.5 km away, underscoring the regime’s push to showcase artillery range ahead of the ninth party congress slated for early February [8].
Jan 30, 2026 – North Korea launches short‑range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, South Korea’s Office of National Security condemns the act as a UN breach, and the government announces that interim findings of the alleged drone‑incursion probe—linked to remnants of the former Yoon administration—will be released soon [7].
Jan 30, 2026 – South Korea fields the Hyunmoo‑5 “monster” missile, a 65‑foot, 8‑ton conventional system capable of destroying underground bunkers; deployment began late 2025 and is slated for completion by the end of President Lee’s term in 2030, reinforcing a three‑axis defense‑and‑deterrence framework while remaining within NPT limits [2].
Early Feb 2026 (expected) – North Korea prepares to hold its ninth Workers’ Party congress, the first in five years, where Kim Jong‑un promises to “clarify the next‑stage plans for further bolstering up the country’s nuclear deterrent” and to announce decisions on new munitions factories and strategic weapons programs [8].
Jan 4‑27 2026 (ongoing) – President Lee Jae‑Myung’s state visit to China proceeds, with Xi Jinping hosting the summit and Seoul seeking Beijing’s assistance in promoting peninsula peace amid a wave of North Korean missile and weapons tests [1].
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