Kim Jong Un oversees DPRK tests of drones and unmanned weapons

DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un supervised performance tests of new unmanned weapons, including drones and multipurpose aircraft, praising their combat potential and stressing that AI integration is vital for military modernization.

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  DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un arrives at a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II held in front of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, Wednesday, September 3, 2025. (Sputnik)

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong Un, has supervised performance tests of unmanned weapons and equipment, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. 

KCNA said Kim visited the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex on Thursday to guide tests of systems being developed by its institutes and enterprises. 

According to the report, Kim reviewed the features and combat applicability of various unmanned weapons, including strategic and tactical reconnaissance drones and multipurpose aircraft. He reportedly expressed “great satisfaction” with the results. 

KCNA added that Kim emphasized the importance of integrating artificial intelligence into unmanned weapons systems, calling it a priority for modernizing the DPRK’s armed forces. 

Kim oversees final solid-fuel ICBM engine test

Earlier in the month, Kim personally supervised a test of a solid-fuel engine designed for intercontinental ballistic missiles. The trial, described as the ninth and final in the development phase, signals that a full test launch of a new long-range missile could take place in the coming months.

Images published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Kim observing the fiery blast of the engine with binoculars. One photo captured a red horizontal flame, evidence of what KCNA called a “ground jet test of high-thrust solid-fuel engine using the composite carbon fiber material,” which it said marked “the last one in the development process.”

Kim hailed the achievement as a milestone for the country’s weapons program. The new rocket engine, he said, “heralds a significant change in expanding and strengthening the nuclear strategic forces” of the DPRK. The announcement came just a week after Pyongyang unveiled the Hwasong-20, billed as its next-generation intercontinental missile.

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