Mick Hartley

Ramping up arms production for Russia to use in Ukraine – to "strengthen the autonomy of the nation’s defense economy and secure outside money to develop our defense industries". From the Daily NK.

North Korea’s ruling party has ordered an expansion of weapons production and export plans for the fourth quarter to meet Russia’s military demands. The regime is implementing an emergency strategy to quickly meet Russia’s requests for ammunition for the Ukraine war and double its existing weapons production.

A source in North Korea told Daily NK on Tuesday that the Central Military Commission “issued emergency tasks for the fourth-quarter arms production and export to the Defense Ministry Department, the Second Economic Committee and major enterprises of the defense industry through Order No. 61351 issued on Oct. 1.”

Accordingly, on Oct. 2, the Ministry of Defense immediately began implementing the Central Military Commission’s order to strengthen cooperation with Russia by quickly securing the total amount of ammunition exports….

“The Central Military Commission mentioned in the latest order that it also hopes to secure strategic technology support to strengthen the nation’s self-defense power,” the source said. “It revealed the goal of taking the development of the nation’s own defense industry to the next level in the long term by adopting advanced technology through military cooperation with Russia and greatly increasing the localization rate.” 

He added: “The Defense Industry Department told related workplaces that the Central Military Commission’s order ‘goes beyond simply increasing arms production – it’s an important, even critical, chance to strengthen the autonomy of the nation’s defense economy and secure outside money to develop our defense industries.'”