N. Korean artillery deployed along western border not seen as new weapon system: JCS

North Korean artillery was spotted near the inter-Korean border in Kaepung County, Hwanghae Province, Tuesday, but South Korea’s military said it appeared to be legacy weaponry, not a new system. Photos showed what experts identified as a possible 122-millimeter self-propelled howitzer, farther south than its usual positions. The deployment is the first reported placement of a heavy weapons system directly along the border, which observers view as highly unusual.

The photos were taken by Yonhap News Agency from an observation deck in Gimpo, west of Seoul.

Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Capt. Jang Do-young said North Korea had deployed legacy artillery along coastal areas in plain view.

Kim Yo-jong had threatened to deploy new tactical weapons along the border and restart anti-South propaganda broadcasts in response to South Korean warning broadcasts and warning shots.

The vehicle bore a North Korean slogan denouncing the United States, and several soldiers nearby were seen raising red flags in what appeared to be a military drill.

North Korean troops have been building tactical roads and fences as part of border reinforcement efforts tied to Kim Jong-un’s push to formalize inter-Korean relations as two hostile states.

Published Oct 27, 2026 12:15 pm KST

Updated Oct 27, 2026 12:26 pm KST

North Korean soldiers gather around what appears to be a self-propelled howitzer deployed in a western coastal border area of Kaepung County, Hwanghae Province, captured from an observation deck in the South Korean city of Gimpo, west of Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

North Korean artillery deployed along the western front line appears to be legacy weaponry rather than a new system that Pyongyang recently threatened to forward-deploy, a South Korean military official said Tuesday.

What appears to be North Korean self-propelled artillery has been spotted farther south than its usual positions along the western front near the inter-Korean border, close enough to be captured by South Korean media cameras.

Photos taken by Yonhap News Agency from an observation deck at a park in Gimpo, west of Seoul, showed what experts say appears to be a 122 millimeter self-propelled howitzer deployed in a coastal border area of Kaepung County, Hwanghae Province.

"Our understanding is that North Korea has deployed legacy artillery along coastal areas in plain view," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesperson Capt. Jang Do-young said in a press briefing when asked for comment on the development.

"While North Korea has mentioned new weapons systems in its recent statements, we believe that this cannot be considered as such," he said.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has threatened to deploy "new tactical weapons" along the heavily fortified border and restart anti-South propaganda broadcasts in response to South Korean warning broadcasts and warnings shots.

The South Korean military has issued the repeated warnings over Pyongyang's border fortification activities, which Seoul sees have extended far south to breach the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas.

Revealed in the photos was a North Korean propaganda slogan painted on the armored vehicle that read "Annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggressors, the sworn enemies of the Korean people!"

Several North Korean soldiers were seen raising red flags nearby, in what appeared to be a military drill.

North Korean troops have been spotted building tactical roads and fences in recent months as part of ongoing border reinforcement efforts driven by leader Kim's push to formalize inter-Korean relations as "two hostile states."

However, this marks the first time North Korea has deployed a heavy weapons system directly along the border, a move that observers view as highly unusual.

周二，在韩国黄海道开丰郡朝韩边境附近发现了朝鲜火炮，但韩国军方表示，这似乎是老式武器，并非新型系统。照片显示，专家认为这可能是一门122毫米自行榴弹炮，其部署位置比通常位置更靠南。这是首次有报道称在朝韩边境直接部署重型武器系统，观察人士认为这非常不寻常。

这些照片是韩联社在首尔以西的金浦市的一个观景台上拍摄的。

韩国联合参谋本部发言人张道英上校表示，朝鲜已在沿海地区公开部署了老式火炮。

金与正曾威胁要沿边境部署新型战术武器，并重启反韩宣传广播，以回应韩国的警告广播和警告射击。

车辆上印有谴责美国的朝鲜标语，附近几名士兵升起红旗，看起来像是在进行军事演习。

作为金正恩推动朝韩关系正式化（两个敌对国家关系正式化）的举措之一，朝鲜军队一直在修建战术道路和围栏，以加强边境防御。

发布于2026年10月27日下午12:15（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月27日下午12:26（韩国标准时间）

周一，在韩国首尔以西的金浦市一处观察台上拍摄到，朝鲜士兵聚集在一辆疑似部署在黄海道开丰郡西部沿海边境地区的自行榴弹炮周围。（韩联社）

一位韩国军方官员周二表示，朝鲜部署在西部前线的火炮似乎是老式武器，而不是平壤最近威胁要向前部署的新系统。

疑似朝鲜自行火炮的装备被发现出现在比其通常部署位置更靠南的地区，靠近朝韩边境的西部战线，距离韩国媒体的摄像机足够近，可以拍摄到。

韩联社从首尔以西金浦市一个公园的观景台上拍摄的照片显示，专家称，一门疑似122毫米自行榴弹炮部署在黄海道开丰郡的沿海边境地区。

韩国联合参谋本部发言人张道英上校在新闻发布会上被问及此事时表示：“据我们了解，朝鲜已在沿海地区公开部署了老式火炮。”

他说：“虽然朝鲜在最近的声明中提到了新型武器系统，但我们认为这不能被视为新型武器系统。”

朝鲜领导人金正恩的妹妹金与正威胁要沿戒备森严的边境部署“新型战术武器”，并重启反韩宣传广播，以回应韩国的警告广播和警告鸣枪。

韩国军方就平壤的边境防御活动多次发出警告，首尔方面认为这些活动已经向南延伸很远，突破了分隔朝韩两国的军事分界线（MDL）。

照片显示，装甲车上涂有朝鲜的宣传口号：“消灭美国帝国主义侵略者，朝鲜人民的死敌！”

附近可以看到几名朝鲜士兵升起红旗，看起来像是在进行军事演习。

近几个月来，人们发现朝鲜军队正在修建战术道路和围栏，这是朝鲜领导人金正恩推动将朝韩关系正式确立为“两个敌对国家”的一部分，也是朝鲜持续加强边境防御工作的一部分。

然而，这是朝鲜首次在边境沿线直接部署重型武器系统，观察人士认为此举极为不寻常。