N. Korea's Kim oversees performance test of tactical attack drones

This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency Friday, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un overseeing a performance test of tactical attack drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles the previous day. Yonhap

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a performance test of tactical attack drones, stressing the need to advance applicable artificial intelligence (AI) technology and bolster their operational capabilities, state media reported Friday.

Kim inspected the test of unmanned weapons being developed and produced by an institute and enterprise under the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The leader reviewed the performance and combat applicability of strategic and tactical reconnaissance drones, as well as multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicles.

The test approved the "excellent effectiveness of Kumsong-series tactical attack drones for combat uses, along with the military strategic value and performance of strategic surveillance drones' capabilities, the KCNA said.

North Korean state media reported on Kumsong-line tactical attack drones for the first time.

Kim said advancing AI and operational capabilities of unmanned weapons and equipment systems should be the top priority in modernizing the armed forces, stressing that drones have emerged as key military assets in modern warfare, according to the KCNA.

He also called for making "primary efforts to rapidly developing the newly-introduced artificial intelligence technology and expanding and strengthening the serial production capacity," it added.

Photos carried by the KCNA showed two types of what appears to be "suicide attack drones" hitting mock targets. In August and November last year, the North conducted performance tests of such unmanned aerial vehicles.

In March, the North supervised performance tests of suicide attack drones equipped with AI technology, calling for their development and technological advance.

North Korea has been focusing on developing drones, especially since it sent troops to Russia to support Moscow's war with Ukraine, where drones are playing a major role in combat.

Experts said the North's latest drone tests could be related to a defense development policy that the regime will probably unveil at a key party congress set for late this year or early next year.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at South Korea's Korea Institute for National Unification, said the North's move appears to be aimed at flexing its muscle against the ongoing joint military drills between Seoul and Washington.

"North Korea could intend to show its capability to reconnoiter the enemies' activity and attack major radar or air defense bases," he noted.

Later in the day, South Korea and the United States are set to wrap up the five-day Iron Mace tabletop exercise, focusing on integrating Washington's nuclear assets and Seoul's conventional capabilities to deter North Korean threats.