North Korea’s defense industry needs to improve production quality and modernize, the General of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) was reported as saying on Sunday in Pyongyang.

The call, which was made at a ‘Day of Songun’ anniversary meeting of senior political, military and state figures, comes following mounting reports of air force plane crashes and malfunctioning equipment in North Korea this past twelve months.

“Those in the field of national defence industry should produce quality Korean-style ultra-modern weapons and equipment at the best level,” said General of the KPA, Ri Yong Gil.

Doing so would “raise the level of modernization