North Korea Begins Tank Modernization as Part of Larger Military Overhaul

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a tank production facility on Sunday, calling for the replacement of the country’s aging Cold War-era armored vehicles as part of a broader campaign to modernize the nation’s military forces. The visit, reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), marks a significant shift toward improving North Korea’s conventional capabilities alongside its growing nuclear arsenal.

According to KCNA, Kim praised recent upgrades to the factory and expressed satisfaction with the design of a new generation of domestically produced tanks. “To replace the armored weapons of the last century in our army with latest tanks and armored vehicles is the most important issue in the building of armed forces and modernization of the army,” Kim was quoted as saying.

Despite possessing one of the world’s largest standing armies, North Korea’s tank fleet has long relied on outdated Soviet- and Chinese-derived designs from the mid-to-late 20th century. In 2020, Pyongyang unveiled its “Cheonma-2” main battle tank, though the scale of its deployment remains unclear.

The push to modernize the army follows a series of technological advances by North Korea’s military. After strengthening ties with Russia in 2023, North Korea has unveiled several new military capabilities. In 2024, it introduced the Hwasong-16B, a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile. Last week, North Korea launched its first naval destroyer and successfully test-fired a missile from the vessel. During the launch, Kim also announced his intention to equip the navy with nuclear-strike capabilities.

This conventional buildup comes amid increasing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, with North Korean troops reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces during Ukraine’s failed Kursk offensive last month.

The developments have drawn attention in Washington, where President Donald Trump’s administration is reportedly evaluating options to reengage Pyongyang diplomatically, mirroring Trump’s efforts during his first term. However, U.S. officials acknowledge that North Korea’s significantly strengthened military and diplomatic posture has reduced Washington’s leverage in any potential future negotiations.