Kim Jong Un calls for more production of missile launchers amid US-South Korea wargames

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Friday (Jan 5) called for increasing the production of missile launchers while visiting a factory, said the state media.

The orders were given by the North Korean leader as the country prepares for a “military showdown” with South Korea as well as the United States.

During his factory visit, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un said that increasing the production of missile launch vehicles is an important task for completing preparations for a “military showdown” with the enemy, reported the state media.

Kim, who was visiting a transporter erector launcher (TEL) manufacturing factory, said that the production of different vehicles for strategic and tactical weapons was an important task in bolstering the nuclear war deterrent of the country, reported KCNA news agency.

"Stressing that the factory's position and role are very important ... given the prevailing grave situation that requires the country to be more firmly prepared for a military showdown with the enemy, he indicated the tasks to be fulfilled by the factory," KCNA reported.

In the images released by the state media, Kim was seen touring the factory along with his young daughter Ju Ae in tow that produces transport erector launchers (TELs) which have been used in the banned intercontinental ballistic missiles of the country, before hailing a "dynamic drive for increased production" of the weapons.

Speaking to workers, Kim said that increasing TEL production capacity was important "given the prevailing grave situation that requires the country to be more firmly prepared for a military showdown with the enemy," said KCNA.

"He specified the immediate plan for the production of varieties of TELs, long-term production plan and the task of production capacity expansion" to strengthen the country's nuclear war deterrence, the report said.

White House says North Korea provides ballistic missiles and launchers to Russia

The report was published hours after the White House stated that Pyongyang had provided ballistic missiles and launchers to Russia which were used in the recent attacks carried out on cities in Ukraine.

Watch:South Korea, US hold firing drills near North Korea border

For months, Washington has accused Pyongyang of providing military equipment to Moscow in return for technical support provided by Russia to North Korea for advancing its military capabilities. However, North Korea has denied transferring arms to Moscow.

In a key party meeting last week, the country's military, nuclear weapons sector and munitions industry were ordered by Kim to accelerate war preparations, as the leader said that the policies of the United States have been making war inevitable.

"(Kim) specified the immediate plan for the production of varieties of TELs, long-term production plan and task of production capacity," reported KCNA.

(With inputs from agencies)