Kim Jong Un tours combined production line as he prepares for debut on multilateral diplomatic stage
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toured a newly established missile production facility to assess the country's weapons manufacturing capabilities, state media reported Monday.
The Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited the combined missile production line of a major munitions enterprise to examine overall missile production capacity and future prospects.
He was accompanied by senior officials from the ruling Workers' Party and defense industry managers.
The facility inspection comes as Kim prepares for his first multilateral diplomatic appearance since assuming power in December 2011. The 41-year-old leader is scheduled to attend a major military parade in China hosted by Beijing on Wednesday commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Around 26 foreign leaders, including presidents and prime ministers from Russia, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, will be attending the event.
Kim has never participated in UN sessions or other global summits throughout his leadership of North Korea, which has faced extensive international sanctions over its nuclear weapons program since 2006.
