North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un recently visited an undisclosed training base, where he oversaw automatic and sniper rifle drills and personally test-fired a new precision weapon reportedly intended for deployment with the country’s special operations forces.
#NorthKorea (#DPRK) 🇰🇵: Kim Jong Un visited the base of the Special Forces of Korean People’s Army (#KPA) and tested weapons.
Kim Jong Un can be seen with 60mm upgraded ‘KN-25’ MLRS, locally-made AK-12SP pattern assault rifle, Type 88 assault rifles and suppressed sniper rifle. pic.twitter.com/OS5NJbqQIm
— War Noir (@war_noir) September 17, 2024
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim expressed “great satisfaction with the performance and power of the sniper rifle, which the news outlet said is “developed in our own way.”
It is unclear whether the weapon is imported, reverse-engineered, or domestically produced. North Korea is under strict arms sanctions, but has a history of copying foreign military designs.
The report did not provide any details about the weapon’s capabilities but experts noted the sniper rifle’s resemblance with the Austrian-made Steyr-Mannlicher SSG 08.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tested his new sniper rifle and hit the target with pinpoint accuracy. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ymKIcvvMFF
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) April 5, 2025
It remains unclear where the new rifles will be deployed, but experts believe they may be sent to North Korean units operating in Russian-controlled areas to test the weapons under real combat conditions.
South Korea’s intelligence agency previously reported that North Korea had deployed special forces to Russia to support its war efforts in Ukraine.
During his visit to the military base, Kim also observed a small-arms shooting contest conducted by special operations forces from an observation post.
He reportedly emphasized the importance of strengthening special operations units as a core element of North Korea’s evolving military strategy. Kim was said to have issued new directives aimed at enhancing combat readiness, though no specific details were disclosed.
