North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a successful test of the country’s new “suicide drones,” urging researchers to integrate artificial intelligence into these unmanned vehicles, as per state media reports.
What Happened: Kim visited the Drone Institute of North Korea’s Academy of Defence Sciences on Saturday. The drones successfully identified and destroyed test targets, including a mock tank, following different preset routes.
Kim encouraged the production of more suicide drones for tactical infantry and special operation units, including underwater suicide attack drones, strategic reconnaissance, and multi-purpose attack drones, Reuters reported.
State media released photos showing at least four different types of drones, some of which were launched with small rocket engines before their propellers took over. When questioned about the visual similarities between some of the North Korean drones and Russia’s ZALA Lancet and the Iranian-designed Shahed, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that further analysis is needed.
Why It Matters: This is the first time Pyongyang has unveiled suicide drones. In 2022, several North Korean drones crossed the border into South Korea, even briefly entering a no-fly zone around Seoul’s presidential office. In response, South Korea plans to deploy laser weapons to shoot down North Korean drones this year, making it the first country to deploy and operate such weapons in the military.
This development follows a series of military advancements by North Korea, including the display of new aircraft resembling U.S. military drones in 2023, the testing of a new multiple rocket launch system in 2024, and the launch of two ballistic missiles in June.
Amid these increasing threats, South Korea's Defense Minister nominee, Kim Yong Hyun, has signaled readiness to consider all possible measures against North Korea's nuclear threats, emphasizing the significance of the alliance with the United States in addressing these threats.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari
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