Kim Jong Un Seeks to Accelerate AI-Powered Unmanned Weapons Development

Seoul (ANTARA) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants his country to significantly accelerate the development of key technologies for unmanned weapons, integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into these systems and improve their combat capabilities.

“Given the current development trends, in which unmanned military equipment has emerged as a major asset in battlefield operations and its scope of use continues to expand day by day, it is necessary to rapidly develop key technologies in this field, integrate unmanned weapons systems into an advanced artificial intelligence framework, and optimise their operational capabilities, treating this as a top priority in building a modern armed force,” Kim said on Friday at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Unmanned Aviation Technology Development exhibition in Pyongyang.

According to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, Kim said unmanned weapons were increasingly becoming a principal instrument of modern warfare, while their applications continued to expand.

At the exhibition, Kim presented a national defence development strategy to rapidly expand and strengthen unmanned aviation technology. He also outlined key measures for implementing the strategy.

Kim also stressed the need to further strengthen North Korea’s military, saying peace could only be guaranteed through strength.

He said North Korea had operated as a nuclear-armed state while pursuing the rapid modernisation of its conventional weapons.

Kim urged North Korean scientists to achieve significant results in developing drone technology and artificial intelligence for the country’s defence sector.