Official television broadcasts depict Kim Jon Un cringing with delight in a test in which UAVs dive into what seems to be a tank.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has watched a test run of newly-developed attack drones manufactured domestically, according to the Korean Central News Agency.
Images released by North Korean media on Monday featured a white drone wearing a stenciled X across its wings and tails crashing into and obliterating a model that somewhat resembled South Korea’s K-2 main battle tank.
Kim, who has appeared at a desk attended by advisers, has been updating Pyongyang’s weapons stockpile and experimenting with new technologies as tensions with the US and South Korea have grown.
Supervised by the North Korean leader, the test was conducted when he visited the Drone Institute of the Academy of Defense Science, said KCNA.
Kim noted that patterns found in other countries, as well as characteristics of modern warfare, demonstrated the use of drones in theater and further stated that the Korean People’s Army should employ drones “as early as possible.”.
He urged to enhance the development and production of various types of systems, such as exploding drones for the infantry and special operations forces, reconnaissance and multipurpose attack drones, and underwater attack drones, according to KCNA.
Pyongyang has increased activities in tactical operations involving short-range missiles and large-caliber heavy artillery expected to target the south of the Korean peninsula after enhancing its strategic missile and nuclear program in violation of the sanctions.
The drone test emerges at a time that the United States and its regional ally South Korea are holding a major combined military exercise designed to improve cooperation in delivering a conventional response to Pyongyang.
The drills have to go on until Thursday.
