North Korea Tests Upgraded 240mm Rocket Launcher Shells

North Korea said it has tested upgraded guided shells for a 240mm multiple rocket launcher as part of a broader effort to modernize its artillery and missile forces, sharpening concerns about the firepower deployed near South Korea.

The test took place Tuesday under Pyongyang’s five-year weapons modernization plan, according to the North’s state media. Military officials overseeing the launch said the range-extended rockets would significantly change combat readiness along what they called the southern border.

Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party, called for the North to concentrate its most destructive attack capabilities in the border area. He also emphasized replacing older long-range strike systems with newer weapons as quickly as possible.

The upgraded rockets are fitted with what North Korea described as an autonomous precision-guidance system. Pyongyang claimed they can hit targets up to 100 kilometers away when following a conventional ballistic trajectory and up to 115 kilometers away when using a combined gliding flight mode. Those ranges would place a broad area of South Korea within reach depending on where launchers are deployed.

The 240mm multiple rocket launcher is part of North Korea’s extensive artillery force. Improving the range and accuracy of such systems could give the military more options for striking fixed targets while allowing launch units to operate farther from the border. North Korea’s claims about the weapon’s performance were presented by its state media, and no independent test data was disclosed.

The test follows Pyongyang’s 2023 declaration that relations between the two Koreas should be treated as relations between two hostile states rather than partners pursuing eventual reunification. Since then, the North has continued to emphasize weapons designed to strengthen its conventional strike capacity against targets in South Korea.

The latest announcement signals that artillery modernization remains a central part of North Korea’s military planning alongside its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. It also adds to security pressure on Seoul at a time when military tensions and diplomatic uncertainty continue to shape inter-Korean relations. The development is likely to draw close scrutiny from South Korean and allied defense authorities as they assess whether the upgraded system has entered operational deployment.