English
North Korea has conducted a major weapons demonstration, test-firing attack drones, cruise missiles and a 600mm multiple rocket launcher as leader Kim Jong Un called for rapid advances in drone and artificial intelligence technology for military purposes. State media outlet KCNA reported the event on Friday, a day after South Korea said Pyongyang had launched around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast.
Kim Pushes for Drone Dominance
At the demonstration, Kim Jong Un emphasized that seizing superiority in drone technology was essential given the evolving nature of modern warfare. “Strength precisely means peace and peace is guaranteed only by strength,” he said, according to KCNA. The event featured suicide attack drones, multipurpose drones equipped with air-to-surface missiles, and cruise missiles. KCNA reported that the drones and cruise missiles struck an island target with 100 percent accuracy.
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The demonstration follows a series of recent weapons tests by North Korea. These include a new precision-guided torpedo system and an intermediate-range hypersonic missile. Both systems reportedly incorporate AI technology, reflecting Pyongyang’s growing focus on advanced military capabilities.
Ballistic Missile Launches Raise Alarm
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that its military detected around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. The missiles traveled approximately 250 kilometers, or about 155 miles. South Korean and US forces are conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles’ specifications, and Seoul has increased surveillance for any additional launches.
South Korea’s National Security Office condemned the launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions. Officials described them as “serious acts that do nothing to help manage the current situation.” It remains unclear whether these launches were directly connected to the weapons demonstration.
Border Tensions Escalate
The missile activity comes amid rising tensions along the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas. A landmine explosion earlier injured three South Korean soldiers. A joint investigation by Seoul and UN authorities concluded this month that North Korea planted the landmines more than a year ago. South Korea accused Pyongyang of violating the Armistice Agreement and demanded an apology. North Korea has mockingly dismissed that demand.
Last week, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong Un, threatened to deploy loudspeakers along the border within days and placed unspecified new countermeasures on alert. Both countries have previously used border loudspeakers and other psychological warfare tactics. South Korea subsequently proposed military talks to confirm border positions and restore communication channels. However, Pyongyang has not responded.
Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war. The Korean conflict ended in 1953 with an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty, leaving the demilitarized zone as one of the world’s most heavily fortified frontiers.
US Diplomacy Adds Uncertainty
The escalating tensions also coincide with renewed diplomatic uncertainty involving Washington. US President Donald Trump’s recent overtures toward North Korea have raised concerns that South Korea could be sidelined in any future nuclear negotiations. In his most recent comments, Trump appeared to downplay the likelihood of a summit with Kim Jong Un while maintaining that his relationship with the North Korean leader remained “very good.” South Korea, a key US ally, has expressed concern about its potential exclusion from such talks.
