North Korea says it will deploy new artillery guns targeting Seoul and commission its 1st destroyer

North Korea said Friday it will deploy new long-range artillery systems this year that are capable of striking South Korea’s capital region and will commission its first naval destroyer in coming weeks.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Friday it will deploy new long-range artillery systems this year that are capable of striking South Korea’s capital region and will commission its first naval destroyer in coming weeks.

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The announcement comes days after South Korea said North Korea’s newly revised constitution drops all references to Korean unification, in line with leader Kim Jong Un’s vows to terminate ties with South Korea and establish a two-state system on the Korean Peninsula.

Kim visited a munitions factory Wednesday to inspect the production of 155-mm self-propelled gun-howitzers to be deployed at an artillery unit in the southern border area within this year, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported.