Kim pushes combat drones and AI as North Korean priorities
New at the Pyongyang exhibition: suicide drones, tactical cruise missiles and 600 mm rocket launchers were on display.
Kim Jong Un urged rapid development of combat drones and artificial intelligence for North Korea's military as he opened the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Development-2026 exhibition in Pyongyang on Friday. State media KCNA reported that Kim called on the country to achieve "absolute superiority" in unmanned aircraft technology and make high-level integration of AI into weapons systems a top priority in modernizing the armed forces. The exhibition featured tactical suicide attack drones, tactical cruise missiles, multi-purpose drones and a battalion of 600 mm multiple rocket launchers. Photos released by KCNA showed a drone striking a mock military vehicle. Some analysts say Pyongyang is drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East, where drones have become increasingly dominant on the modern battlefield.