Kim Jong Un Orders Massive Missile Production Boost for 2026, Deepening Russia Ties

North Korea is gearing up for a busy 2026. On the production line: more missiles. According to state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), leader Kim Jong Un has ordered officials to significantly ramp up missile production and construct new factories, a move that signals deepening military cooperation with key ally Russia.

Preparing for a 'Busy Year'

In a report on Friday, KCNA said Kim toured munitions factories with top officials and ordered them to "further expand the overall production capacity" to meet the demands of Pyongyang's armed forces. "The missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering up the war deterrent," Kim was quoted as saying.

The Deepening Alliance with Moscow

This directive comes as ties between North Korea and Russia have grown closer since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. Pyongyang is believed to have supplied Russia with artillery shells and missiles for the war. In return, analysts say, Russia is providing North Korea with financial aid, military technology, and essential supplies. Washington has pointed to evidence that Russia is helping Pyongyang with advanced space and satellite technology.

A Shift Towards Export-Oriented Weapons

Ahn Chan-il, a researcher from North Korea, told AFP that with its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program having achieved its core goals, Pyongyang is likely to shift focus. The country will likely accelerate the "testing and producing [of] systems linked to potential exports to Russia -- including medium- and intermediate-range missiles," he said. The news follows recent reports of Kim touring a nuclear submarine factory and overseeing the test of new anti-air missiles. New modernization plans are expected to be unveiled at the ruling party's congress in early 2026.