Kim Jong Un Calls for Drone Dominance and Greater Use of Artificial Intelligence in Military
North Korea showed off suicide drones, cruise missiles and rocket launchers at a weapons display. Analysts say it is drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
Pyongyang, Oct 31 – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for his country to gain “absolute superiority” in drone technology, state media reported on Friday.
Kim Jong Un made the remarks while attending an exhibition and weapons demonstration focused on unmanned aircraft. According to the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea’s state news agency, the firepower display included suicide attack drones, short-range cruise missiles, drones designed for a range of missions, and a battalion of large 600-millimeter rocket launchers.
The event highlighted Kim Jong Un’s push to modernize North Korea’s armed forces with drones and artificial intelligence. Pyongyang is drawing lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine and from other conflicts around the world.
It also came at a tense time between the two Koreas. Seoul has vowed to respond firmly to what it calls North Korean breaches of the border. Pyongyang, for its part, has condemned joint air defense drills by South Korea and the United States.
State media photos showed drones carrying the emblem of the North Korean Air Force. Other images appeared to show a drone crashing into a military vehicle on a hill and exploding in a ball of fire during the demonstration.
On Thursday, South Korea’s military said North Korea had fired around 10 projectiles, including short-range ballistic missiles.
Kim Jong Un said that pursuing superiority in drone technology is essential, given how modern warfare is changing. He also said that advanced artificial intelligence in unmanned weapons should be a top priority for the country, according to state media.
This isn’t a new theme for Kim Jong Un. He has called many times for more drones and more military use of artificial intelligence. State media said he ordered mass production of suicide attack drones in November 2024. He oversaw tests of drones equipped with artificial intelligence in March 2025. And in September 2025, he called artificial intelligence a top priority in modernizing the country’s weapons.
North Korea has also gained real combat experience. Since October 2024, it has sent more than 16,000 personnel to Russia to help Moscow in its war against Ukraine, according to South Korean intelligence. Those troops have learned about drone warfare, electronic warfare and the use of different forces together on the battlefield.
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University in South Korea, said North Korea is reshaping its military with drones and artificial intelligence, based on lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Lim Eul-chul said the wide display of weapons also sends a political message. In his view, North Korea is trying to close the door to any talks or negotiations with South Korea.
State media also showed for the first time what analysts described as a stealth drone with a flying-wing design and no tail.
Photos also showed racks of small suicide drones and loitering munitions, which are drones that circle an area before diving onto a target. Analysts said they look similar to the American-made Switchblade 600. That suggests North Korea is focusing on cheap weapons that can be produced in large numbers, possibly based on what it has seen in Ukraine, they said.
The mock targets displayed at the demonstration were also revealing. They appeared designed to resemble key military assets, offering a pointed indication of the scenarios North Korea may be preparing for and the adversaries it views as potential targets.
Analysts said the vehicles appeared to include South Korean K9 howitzers, tanks resembling the M1 Abrams, and radar vehicles. That suggests the weapons are intended for use against South Korean and American forces. Meanwhile, tensions along the heavily fortified border are continuing to rise. The reported movement of military equipment has added to concerns that both sides may be preparing for a broader confrontation, even as diplomatic channels remain largely stalled.
South Korea’s national security adviser, Wi Sung-lac, said on Friday that Seoul will respond firmly to protect the military border. Pyongyang has claimed that it is conducting operations only within its own territory.
North Korea’s Defense Ministry, for its part, said the joint US-South Korea air defense exercises have increased tensions on the Korean peninsula. The ministry added that there is no limit to the measures that could be used to maintain a strong deterrent capacity, state media reported.
The tension levels have been rising since last month, when an explosion of a land mine occurred in the Demilitarized Zone, seriously wounding some South Korean soldiers. South Korea said North Korea was responsible for laying the land mine, but Pyongyang has denied the claim.
On the 23rd of September, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, said that loudspeakers would be activated along the entire border to blast propaganda against South Korea by the end of October.
