North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered an expansion in the production of a new type of artillery shells for "modern warfare."

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA), Kim inspected a major munitions factory on Friday, reviewing shell production, capacity increases, and modernization work carried out in the first half of the year.

Pleased with the progress, Kim called for setting development-oriented goals to match future defense demands and outlined tasks for the munitions plant going forward.

He also stressed the need for more efficient processing and a higher level of unmanned production to ramp up output of the new artillery shells.

Kim’s comments come as North Korea has deployed troops, containers of artillery shells and other military equipment to Russia for its war against Ukraine.