North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the successful deployment of new "suicide drones" that successfully obliterated test targets, including a simulated tank, and encouraged researchers to enhance artificial intelligence for these unmanned vehicles, according to state media reports on Monday.
Kim visited the Drone Institute of North Korea's Academy of Defence Sciences on Saturday and witnessed a successful demonstration where drones accurately identified and destroyed assigned targets after navigating along predetermined paths, as reported by the state news agency KCNA.
Kim advocated for the increased production of suicide drones to be utilized in tactical infantry and special operation units, such as underwater suicide drones, along with strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones, KCNA stated. These weapons, also known as loitering munitions, have been extensively used in conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East. Loitering munitions are typically airborne and poised to strike once a target is identified, then they crash into the target with an integrated warhead.
State media photographs revealed at least four distinct types of drones, some of which were launched with the assistance of small rocket engines before transitioning to propeller power. Regarding visual similarities between some North Korean drones and Russia's ZALA Lancet and the Iranian-designed Shahed, which is also used by Russia, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated that further analysis is required.
"We understand that some gifts (drones) were exchanged between North Korea and Russia in the past... We need to analyze various measures to see if those have improved performance," a spokesperson for the JCS said in a briefing. North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons, maintains close ties with both Russia and Iran and has a history of military collaboration with them. Seoul's Unification Ministry noted that this was the first public display of suicide drones by Pyongyang.
South Korea has announced plans to deploy laser weapons to counter North Korean drones this year, marking the first instance of a country deploying and operating such weapons in the military. Additionally, some skyscrapers in Seoul are equipped with anti-aircraft guns on their rooftops. South Korea and the US commenced their annual summertime military exercises last week, which included drills for responding to North Korean drones.
