North Korea Unveils New Suicide Drones, Calls For More

By Taejun Kang 

North Korea unveiled new suicide drones with some of them looking in released photographs similar to those used by Russia, as the North’s leader called for the development and production of more of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

Kim Jong Un 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,” said the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

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 added.

Photos carried by the the news agency in its report on Monday showed blurred images of two white suicide drones attacking targets, including an image that showed one of the drones destroying what appeared to be mock-up of South Korea’s main K-2 battle tank.

Two types of drone were shown in the photos: a triangular-winged drone that resembles the Israeli Harop, and a cross-winged drone that resembles the Russian Lancet-3.

Kim was reportedly given with five suicide drones during his visit to Russia in September last year.

Pointing to the growing importance of drones on the battlefield, Kim said that developing different types of the weapons and “steadily increasing their combat performance” were crucial “in preparing for a war.”

“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,” the North Korean leader said.

Kim also called for more tests of the drones’ combat application, to equip the North Korean military with them as early as possible, KCNA said.

At a year-end party meeting in December last year, Kim ordered the development of powerful unmanned combat equipment, such as spy and attack drones, and means for electronic warfare, in addition to ramped-up production of its nuclear bombs and powerful missiles.

In July 2023, the North unveiled two types of new reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones at an arms exhibition and military parade.

North Korea also sent five drones across the border with South Korea in December 2022, with one of them penetrating a no-fly zone close to South Korea’s presidential office.