Seoul [South Korea], August 26: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on August 24 inspected the testing of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and called for the development and production of more suicide UAVs to enhance combat readiness.
Mr. Kim inspected the test organized by the Drone Institute of the Academy of National Defense Science of North Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency on August 26.
During the test at an undisclosed location, the UAVs flew along several pre-set routes and accurately destroyed designated targets, following the mission of attacking simulated enemy targets on the ground and at sea.
The North Korean leader stressed that it is important to develop various types of UAVs and improve combat capabilities to be combat-ready.
"There is a need to develop and produce more suicide UAVs for use in infantry tactics and special operations units, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack UAVs ," Kim said.
In addition to continuously developing underwater strategic weapons systems and suicide drones, he also raised the need to proactively incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the development of unmanned devices.
Photos released by KCNA show two white suicide drones attacking and destroying fake targets that look like K-2 tanks. According to Yonhap, this is the first time North Korea has released photos of this type of weapon.
On August 24 and 25, the North Korean leader also visited many industrial plant construction projects under construction.
At a year-end meeting in December 2023, Mr. Kim ordered the development of powerful unmanned combat equipment, such as reconnaissance and attack UAVs and vehicles for electronic warfare.
In July 2023, North Korea unveiled two new multi-purpose reconnaissance and attack drones at a weapons exhibition and military parade. North Korea also sent five drones across the border with South Korea in December 2022, one of which entered a no-fly zone near the presidential office in Seoul.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper