The leader of the DPRK has called for the mass production of suicide drones in the country, Bloomberg reports, citing North Korean media.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that Kim conducted a field inspection of the drone production facility “for the second time in less than three months.” The agency published photos showing a drone flying over a car — and then the same car engulfed in flames.
KCNA wrote that the drones “accurately hit targets, following different tactical routes.”
The development of new weapons by the DPRK comes amid a significant strengthening of its military ties with Russia, raising questions about whether the North Korean regime has begun to gain access to Russian military technology. Russia, which is waging a war with Ukraine, is mass producing and adopting various unmanned systems, including suicide drones.
In June, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, which includes a mutual defense pact. And in the fall it became known that North Korean troops were being sent to Russia to participate in the war against Ukraine.