North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversees tests of 'suicide drones'

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched as new "suicide drones" took off and destroyed test targets including a mock tank, and urged researchers to develop artificial intelligence for the unmanned vehicles, state media reported on Monday.

Kim visited the Drone Institute of North Korea's Academy of Defence Sciences on Saturday and viewed a successful test of drones correctly identifying and destroying designated targets after flying along different preset routes, state news agency KCNA said.

Kim called for the production of more suicide drones to be used in tactical infantry and special operation units, such as underwater suicide attack drones, as well as strategic reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones, KCNA said.

Also known as loitering munitions, such weapons been widely used in the war in Ukraine as well as in the Middle East.

Loitering munitions can typically be aloft and ready to strike before a specific target is located, then attack by crashing into the target with a built-in warhead.


Reuters