North Korea Unveils New “Suicide Drone” Amid Speculation of Russian Influence; Kim Jong Un Oversees Test

North Korea has unveiled a new type of “suicide drone,” with state media reporting on Monday that leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw a performance test of the weaponry. Experts suggest that the technology behind these drones might have connections to Russia.

Kim Jong Un observed the test

Images released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Kim Jong Un wearing a cream-colored baker boy hat, smiling as he observed the test. The North Korean leader used high-powered binoculars to watch the drones as they executed their mission, blowing up designated targets with precision.

According to KCNA, Kim emphasized the importance of expanding the country’s drone capabilities. “It is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones,” Kim stated, alongside “strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones.”

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

These suicide drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to carry explosives and deliberately crash into enemy targets, functioning much like guided missiles. The growing fleet of such drones within North Korea’s arsenal is intended to be versatile, capable of striking targets on both land and sea, as noted by KCNA.

The state media report also highlighted the successful nature of the test conducted on August 24, where all drones involved “correctly identified and destroyed the designated targets after flying along different preset routes.”

Kim Jong Un expressed commitment

In addition to enhancing the number of drones, Kim Jong Un expressed his country’s commitment to integrating advanced technology into their development. He announced plans to “proactively introduce artificial intelligence technology into the development of drones,” signaling North Korea’s intent to push the boundaries of modern warfare technology.