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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw a test of newly developed suicide drones on August 24, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Conducted by the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defence Sciences, the test featured drones successfully flying along preset courses and destroying designated targets, showcasing their attack capabilities against ground and sea objectives.
Experts suggest that Russia may have played a role in the development of these drones, which are equipped with explosives and designed to crash into enemy targets like guided missiles.
“It is necessary to develop and produce more suicide drones of various types to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones,” Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.
Kim expressed satisfaction with the data and the drones’ tactical and technical features. He stressed their importance in enhancing North Korea’s military capabilities and urged their deployment within the People’s Army units as soon as possible.
He called for the continuous development of underwater strategic weapon systems, such as nuclear torpedoes and different kinds of underwater suicide drones. He also raised the need to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the development of drones.
Photos released by the KCNA showed two white suicide attack drones hitting and destroying mock targets resembling K-2 tanks, marking the first time North Korea has unveiled such weapons.
The newly revealed drones bear a striking resemblance to Israel’s Harop and Russia’s Lancet, sparking speculation about possible cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. The one closely resembling the Israeli Harop is capable of flying over 600 miles, according to Cho Sang-keun, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, suggested that North Korea publicized the test to attract Russia into the development of their drone technology, noting Moscow’s use of the Lancet in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Additionally, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” pact, further deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
When questioned about the potential direct supply of drones from Russia to North Korea, South Korea’s military stated that further analysis is required. “Whether such drones underwent performance upgrades and other various possibilities require analysis,” said Lt. Col. Lee Chang-hyun, a spokesperson at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He assured that the South Korean military is equipped with detection and interception systems against North Korean unmanned vehicles.
The test comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, as evidenced by several North Korean drones crossing the border into South Korea in December 2022, one of which even briefly entered a no-fly zone near Seoul’s presidential office before turning back.
Meanwhile, the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise by South Korea and the United States is ongoing. The event, which North Korea has long denounced as preparations for an invasion, is set to be concluded by Thursday, August 29.
