Kim Jong-un urges drone expansion as North Korea showcases new unmanned tech

Kim Jong-un announced unspecified measures to rapidly expand and strengthen North Korea’s unmanned aeronautical technology. He made the announcement while visiting an exhibition dedicated to drones, which South Korea’s Unification Ministry described as the country’s first drone-only exhibition. The event showed that drones are becoming a higher military priority.

KCNA said Kim viewed attack drones and other models that represented recent technological achievements. South Korean media reported that more than 30 types were displayed, including stealth drones and first-person-view attack drones. North Korea also tested drones, missiles and 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers to mark the event.

The announcement does not reveal how advanced the programme is or identify specific new steps. Experts say North Korea’s drone development dates back to at least 2011. Kim’s push comes as Pyongyang increases weapons testing and seeks stronger conventional and nuclear capabilities against what it calls US-led security threats.

A military drone is an aircraft that carries out military missions without a person sitting inside it. It can be remotely controlled or operate with programmed assistance. Drones matter because they can observe areas, help locate targets, carry weapons, or strike without risking an onboard pilot.

Stealth drones focus on avoiding detection. Their design and operation aim to make them harder for air-defence systems to see or track. First-person-view, or FPV, attack drones work differently. An operator typically uses a live video feed from the drone’s camera to guide it toward a target. The article identifies both types among the more than 30 models reportedly displayed.

The exhibition showed that North Korea is presenting several drone roles and designs, but it did not establish how capable each model is. KCNA also reported tests involving drones, missiles and rocket launchers. These activities place unmanned aircraft within a wider weapons programme.

The reported display of more than 30 drone types suggests breadth in North Korea’s designs. South Korean media identified stealth drones and first-person-view attack drones among them. However, the number of models alone cannot show how many are deployed, how reliable they are, or how effective they would be in combat.

North Korea’s programme dates back to at least 2011, according to analyst Martyn Williams. KCNA said Kim viewed attack drones and other models described as recent achievements. The country also tested various drones during the event. These details show sustained development rather than a completely new project.

Its actual level remains unclear. South Korea’s Unification Ministry called the event the first exhibition devoted exclusively to drones, while experts expect further development and deployment. Russian assistance and battlefield experience could help North Korea address technological and industrial limits, but the article gives no firm measure of its current capability.

Drones matter because modern wars have shown that unmanned aircraft can influence operations without placing a pilot in every dangerous mission. They can provide persistent observation, find targets, support artillery or missile strikes, and attack directly. Their use can also complicate an opponent’s air defences and battlefield planning.

The article gives examples from North Korea’s exhibition. It reportedly displayed attack, stealth and FPV drones, then tested various drones alongside missiles and 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers. These systems can connect surveillance with targeting and strikes, although the article does not describe the exact performance of the displayed models.

Analyst Martyn Williams wrote that drones have been critical in wars in Europe and the Middle East. He said this lesson is likely to matter in future conflicts and that North Korea is learning it too. The country is therefore expected to continue developing and deploying drones for modern warfare.

Experience matters because drone warfare depends on more than building aircraft. Forces must learn how to operate drones, interpret battlefield information, coordinate attacks, and respond to enemy countermeasures. North Korean troops sent to Russia to support its war against Ukraine may have encountered these practices directly.

Experts cited in the article say those troops likely gained experience from Russian forces and their own battlefield experiences. A South Korean security institute also said Russian assistance could help North Korea overcome technological and industrial limitations. Such assistance could support design, production, training, or battlefield use, though the article does not specify what Russia has provided.

This possible cooperation could accelerate North Korea’s programme. It may help turn displayed prototypes or models into more usable military systems. Still, the programme’s present maturity remains unclear, and the article does not confirm the scale or nature of Russian support.

Expanding drones fits North Korea’s broader effort to strengthen conventional and nuclear capabilities. Kim presents these capabilities as a response to US-led security threats. Drones can add surveillance and attack options alongside missiles, giving Pyongyang another way to pressure South Korea and challenge US and South Korean military planning.

The exhibition combined drone displays and tests with missiles and 600mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers. North Korea also launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles from its east coast. These actions show drones being developed as part of a larger weapons programme, not as an isolated technology project.

North Korea withdrew from talks with the United States and South Korea after diplomacy collapsed in 2019. In recent weeks, it has increased weapons testing, likely seeking leverage in possible diplomacy after Donald Trump expressed eagerness to restore talks with Kim. Stronger drone forces could support that pressure, although no negotiation plan was announced.

Military deterrence is the effort to prevent an adversary from attacking by showing that retaliation or resistance would be costly. It can involve weapons, readiness and the belief that those capabilities would actually be used. Drones can contribute by expanding the threats a country can create without risking pilots.

Unmanned weapons may be cheaper and easier to deploy than some crewed aircraft or larger systems. They can watch, identify targets, saturate defences, or conduct attacks. An opponent may then need more sensors, interceptors, electronic protection and personnel to defend against them. This can create an imbalance between relatively low-cost attacks and expensive defensive responses.

The article does not provide prices or measure such an imbalance for North Korea. It does show Kim pairing drone expansion with missiles and nuclear capabilities. The reported programme could therefore strengthen deterrence, but its real effect depends on reliability, numbers, control systems and South Korean and US countermeasures.