N. Korean artillery deployed along western border not seen as new weapon system: S. Korean military

Seoul, October 27 - Recent images suggest North Korean artillery positioned along the western front line are not new systems, but rather legacy weaponry, according to a South Korean military official. The self-propelled artillery, which appears to be a 122 millimeter self-propelled howitzer, has been spotted farther south than its typical positions near the inter-Korean border, close enough to be captured by South Korean media cameras.

Capt. Jang Do-young of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed the deployment of legacy artillery along coastal areas, stating that it cannot be considered a new weapon system. Despite North Korea's recent threats to deploy new tactical weapons and resume anti-South propaganda broadcasts, the South Korean military believes this deployment is merely a legacy system.

The actions of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, including threatening to deploy new weapons and restarting propaganda broadcasts, have prompted the South Korean military to issue repeated warnings over Pyongyang's border fortification activities. In the photos, a North Korean propaganda slogan was painted on an armored vehicle, reading "Annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggressors, the sworn enemies of the Korean people!"

North Korean soldiers were also seen raising red flags and conducting military drills. The deployment of heavy weapons systems directly along the border is highly unusual, marking a significant shift in North Korea's border reinforcement efforts under Kim Jong-un's leadership.