SEOUL — North Korea has test-fired an upgraded 240mm guided rocket-launcher system, claiming the new projectiles can reach targets as far as 115 kilometers and warning that its most powerful strike capabilities should be concentrated along the border with South Korea.
The test was conducted on Sept. 22 as part of Pyongyang’s five-year program to modernize its artillery and missile forces, North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday.
According to KCNA, the upgraded rockets use an autonomous precision-guidance system and can reportedly reach targets about 100 kilometers away in trajectory flight and up to 115 kilometers using a combined glide flight mode. Reuters and Yonhap reported the same claims, while noting that the specifications were provided by North Korean state media.
The announcement comes amid heightened military activity on the Korean Peninsula, adding another layer to a series of recent weapons tests and confrontations around the inter-Korean border.
Pyongyang Signals Focus on the Southern Border
Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of North Korea’s Central Military Commission, oversaw the test and called for the country’s “deadliest” and most destructive attack forces to be concentrated near the southern border, according to KCNA.
North Korea said the upgraded system represents a major improvement in its firepower readiness and claimed that its long-range strike capabilities are being rapidly modernized.
The comments reflect Pyongyang’s continuing shift toward strengthening conventional and tactical weapons that could be deployed near the border with South Korea.
Reuters reported that North Korea has been steadily upgrading its tactical and conventional arsenal, while similar upgraded rocket systems and tactical missiles were tested under leader Kim Jong Un’s observation in June.
South Korea Is Still Assessing the Launches
South Korea detected several rocket launches from the South Pyongan Province area toward the West Sea on Sept. 22, according to South Korean military officials cited by Yonhap.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches were being analyzed to determine their precise characteristics.
That means North Korea’s reported performance figures should be treated as claims rather than independently confirmed specifications.
The distinction is significant because the claimed 115-kilometer range and guidance capabilities would represent an improvement over earlier versions of the 240mm multiple rocket launcher system.
Another Test in a Week of Military Activity
The latest launch follows several other developments that have increased attention on North Korea’s military posture.
South Korea and Japan reported that Pyongyang launched two short-range ballistic missiles on Sept. 20. Analysts separately told AFP that the weapon appeared to be an upgraded version of a North Korean hypersonic short-range ballistic missile, although Pyongyang did not publicly identify the weapon.
On Sept. 21, three South Korean military personnel were injured in an explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone. South Korean authorities have been investigating the circumstances, with suspicion that a North Korean land mine may have been responsible.
The developments have added to concerns about the already tense military environment around the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea’s Changing Military Strategy
Pyongyang has increasingly emphasized the modernization of conventional weapons positioned for use against South Korea.
North Korea has also formally described inter-Korean relations as relations between hostile states rather than a relationship between compatriots, marking a significant change in its political and security messaging.
The 240mm multiple rocket launcher has long been an important component of North Korea’s artillery forces. The latest version reportedly adds greater range and precision, although independent confirmation of all of its claimed capabilities remains unavailable.
The system’s development is therefore being watched closely by South Korean and regional security officials.
What the Latest Test Means
The Sept. 22 launch does not by itself establish that North Korea has deployed the upgraded system throughout its forces or that every capability claimed by Pyongyang has been independently verified.
What is clear is that North Korea is continuing to invest in the modernization of its conventional and tactical weapons while repeatedly highlighting their potential use near the South Korean border.
For Seoul, Washington and other governments monitoring the peninsula, the latest test adds to a growing pattern of military activity that is unfolding alongside continued uncertainty over inter-Korean relations.
And with Pyongyang emphasizing longer-range and more precise artillery capabilities, the next question is whether the upgraded system remains in the testing phase—or becomes another operational element of North Korea’s frontline forces.
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