North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has instructed the “mass production” of suicide attack drones, according to state media reports on Friday, after he observed a test of the system the day before.
Kim supervised tests of drones intended to hit both land and sea targets, which were developed by North Korea’s Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex (UATC).
“He underscored the need to build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production,” said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
“Suicide drones” are drones equipped with explosives and designed to crash into enemy targets, functioning similarly to guided missiles.
Also referred to as loitering munitions, these weapons have been widely used in the war in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
North Korea displayed these suicide drones for the first time in August, with experts suggesting this capability may be due to North Korea’s increasing alliance with Russia. North Korea and Russia have recently ratified a comprehensive strategic partnership that their leaders signed in June, which includes a mutual defence pact.
“The suicide attack drones to be used within different striking ranges are to perform a mission to precisely attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea,” KCNA said.
Kim described the drones as an “easy to use… component of striking power,” citing their relatively low cost and wide range of applications, as reported by KCNA.
In 2022, North Korea sent drones across the border, and South Korea’s military was unable to shoot them down, citing their small size. South Korea has since established a drone operations command to address this growing threat.
Earlier this year, North Korea accused South Korea of infringing on its sovereignty by flying drones over its territory to drop propaganda leaflets, an allegation denied by South Korea’s military.
In October, North Korea modified its constitution to designate South Korea as a “hostile” state, reflecting worsening relations since Kim declared Seoul his country’s “principal enemy” in January.