SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signaled that the country will continue developing missiles over the next five years during visits to major munitions enterprises in the final quarter of 2025, state media KCNA reported on Friday.

According to KCNA, Kim said the "country's missile and shell production sector is of paramount importance in bolstering war deterrence."

He also approved draft documents for the modernization of key munitions enterprises, which will be submitted to a major party congress expected in early 2026. The congress is set to outline North Korea’s development plan for the next five years, KCNA said.

The report comes after Kim was seen overseeing the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter, a potential heir, and supervising the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles, KCNA added.

—Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Chris Reese/Reuters