North Korean leader Kim tours weapons factories, vows to boost war readiness in face of tensions

Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un toured the country’s key weapons factories, including those producing artillery systems and launch vehicles for nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, and pledged to speed up efforts to advance his military’s arms and war-readiness, state media said Sunday. Kim’s three-day inspections through Saturday came as the United States and South Korea prepared for their next round of combined military exercises planned for later this month to cope with the growing North Korean threat. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest level in years as the…