[6][7] The 170 mm gun is in an open mount with no superstructure and is stabilized when firing by two large folding spades at the rear.

After these were replaced in the coastal defence role by guided missiles, the retired guns could have been used to create the Koksan;[6] another suggestion is that it was based on the German World war 2 era 17 cm Kanone 18.

[1] Jane's states that the M-1978 is probably fitted with an NBC protection system and infrared night vision sights for the driver.

[4] Unlike its predecessor, the M-1989 has occasionally been put on public display by the North Koreans during parades and news broadcasts.

At this time, soldiers from the United States 2/5 Field Artillery Battalion had been occupying the grounds of the university.

The self-propelled weapon was towed to the university grounds so that it could be returned with the unit as a trophy, an idea that was eventually abandoned.

[citation needed] On 14 November 2024, OSINT analysis geolocated the M-1989 Koksan being transported by rail in the city of Krasnoyarsk.

[16] In November 2024, the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) reported that over 60 M-1989 Koksans were in Russia, some of which would be transferred to the Saratov Artillery Command School for training purposes.

[18] On 22 January 2025 the head of the HUR, Lt. General Kyrylo Budanov told The War Zone that Russia had been provided with 120 M-1989 Koskans in the previous three months, and that North Korea "will likely send at least as many more in the future".