North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged the rapid mass production of attack drones, according to state media, amid rising international concerns over the country’s growing military ties with Russia.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that Kim oversaw the latest tests of “various types of suicide attack drones” developed by Pyongyang’s Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex. These drones, functioning as guided missiles, are capable of striking both land and sea targets.
Kim emphasized the urgency of establishing a serial production system and beginning full-scale mass production, highlighting the increasing importance of drones in modern warfare. KCNA noted that the drones tested on Thursday successfully hit their targets after following predetermined paths.
North Korea first introduced its suicide drones in August, and experts have linked their development to the country’s closer alliance with Russia. Both nations recently signed a mutual defence pact, the Treaty of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships, obliging them to provide immediate military support to each other in the event of aggression.
The drones, also known as loitering munitions, are cost-effective weapons capable of targeting tanks and other assets and have been deployed in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
On Monday, Kim ratified the defence pact with Russia, which includes a commitment to mutual military assistance. NATO, the United States, Ukraine, and South Korea have confirmed the deployment of 10,000 North Korean soldiers to Russia to fight in Ukraine.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has expressed concern over the potential transfer of advanced Russian military technology to North Korea. Kim stated that the global competition to integrate drones as key military assets is intensifying and that Pyongyang has recently prioritized unmanned systems within its military strategy.
North Korea has used drones for reconnaissance missions over South Korea, flying in restricted areas such as the capital, Seoul, and the no-fly zone near the South Korean presidential office. Additionally, it has continued ballistic missile tests in violation of UN sanctions and recently destroyed its roads and railways connecting it to the South.
