New Delhi: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for “absolute superiority” in drone technology as Pyongyang demonstrated its upgraded 600mm “Sniper” multiple rocket launcher and an array of unmanned weapons on Thursday. The weapons demonstration also featured suicide-attack drones, air-to-surface missiles and tactical cruise missiles, highlighting his push to prioritize artificial intelligence in military systems.
The demonstration accompanied the country’s Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Development Exhibition 2026, North Korean state agency KCNA reported on Friday. Kim described unmanned technology as essential to modern warfare and demanded rapid progress in military AI applications, according to Reuters.
KCNA claimed tactical suicide drones, missiles launched from multipurpose unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles struck island targets with “100 per cent accuracy”. The claim could not be independently verified, and the exhibition did not establish whether the drones could autonomously identify and attack targets.
Images released by Pyongyang showed more than 10 heavy rocket launchers firing simultaneously and drones striking mock military targets resembling South Korean artillery and American M1 Abrams tanks. Reuters also reported a previously unseen tailless, flying-wing drone, which analysts described as a stealth design.
According to defence publication Janes, the “Sniper” is an upgraded version of North Korea’s KN-25, a 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher previously tested in public. KCNA described Thursday’s exercise as the first public firing of the Sniper-designated launcher, rather than the first demonstration of North Korea’s 600-mm rocket systems.
A South Korean military official assessed that the launches likely involved the KN-25, which Pyongyang claims can carry Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warheads. However, the system’s operational nuclear capability has not been independently established.
The display comes as Pyongyang draws lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine, where relatively inexpensive attack drones, electronic warfare and surveillance aircraft have transformed battlefield operations. South Korean intelligence estimates North Korea has deployed more than 16,000 personnel to Russia since October 2024, potentially exposing them to these tactics.
According to the Associated Press, South Korea’s state-run institute for national security strategy assessed that Russian assistance could help North Korea overcome technological and industrial limitations in its drone programme. However, specific technology transfers have not been independently confirmed.
The demonstration coincided with South Korea detecting around 10 short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Wonsan area towards the East Sea. Seoul’s Joint chiefs of staff said the projectiles travelled approximately 250 kilometres, marking North Korea’s 17th ballistic missile launch event this year, Yonhap reported.
On Friday, South Korean, US and Japanese diplomats discussed the launches as Pyongyang condemned ongoing joint air exercises. Border tensions have also intensified following landmine explosions that injured three South Korean soldiers, with Seoul blaming North Korea, which denies responsibility.
The weapons display reinforces Kim’s emphasis on unmanned strike capabilities alongside conventional and nuclear systems, although the operational effectiveness of North Korea’s emerging drone and AI technologies remains difficult to assess independently.