Kim Jong Un calls for 'absolute superiority' in drone technology, state media says

North Korean state media KCNA reported on Friday that leader Kim Jong Un called for the country to seize "absolute superiority" in drone technology. He spoke at a weapons demonstration, according to the KCNA report carried by Reuters and France 24.

The day before the report, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military had detected "around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Wonsan area of North Korea towards the East Sea", also known as the Sea of Japan, according to France 24.

The demonstration

According to state media, the event included attack drones, cruise missiles and a multiple rocket launcher. France 24 said the systems were suicide attack drones, multipurpose drones firing air-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles and 600mm multiple rocket launchers. Reuters, citing KCNA, described the event as an unmanned aeronautical technology exhibition and weapons demonstration.

KCNA said the drones and cruise missiles hit an island target with 100 per cent accuracy, according to France 24. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include independent verification of this claim. France 24 said the event came a day after Seoul reported the missile launches, but the reports do not give the location of the demonstration.

France 24 quoted Kim, according to KCNA, as saying the "aim to seize the absolute superiority in the drone technology is an indispensable option in the light of the ever-changing patterns of modern warfare". It also quoted him as saying: "Strength precisely means peace and peace is guaranteed only by strength." According to state media, Kim called for faster development of drone and artificial intelligence technology for military use.

The missile launches

Seoul's military said the missiles flew about 250 kilometres (155 miles), according to France 24. It said "South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis of their exact specifications" and that it had stepped up surveillance for possible further launches. In its report, France 24 wrote that "it was not immediately clear whether the launches were linked to the demonstration".

Border tensions

A landmine explosion along the inter-Korean border wounded three South Korean soldiers, according to France 24. A joint Seoul-UN investigation concluded that North Korea planted the landmines more than a year ago. South Korea proposed military talks to "mutually confirm the precise location" of the border and to discuss restoring communication channels. France 24 said Pyongyang had not responded at the time of its report.

What each side says

• South Korea's National Security Office said the launches violated UN Security Council resolutions and were "serious acts that do nothing to help manage the current situation", according to France 24.
• Seoul called the landmine incident "a clear violation of the Armistice Agreement" and demanded an apology. North Korea dismissed the demand, according to France 24.
• Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister, said the North would place loudspeakers on standby along the border within days and had put unspecified new counter-measures on alert, according to France 24.
• US President Donald Trump said his relationship with Kim is "very good", according to France 24. The outlet said his most recent comments seemed to downplay the possibility of a summit.

Analysis

The core account of the demonstration comes from a single origin, North Korean state media, and the reports reviewed by Vocemundi include no independent assessment of the systems or the accuracy claims. France 24 wrote in its report that "it was not immediately clear whether the launches were linked to the demonstration". Several paths are possible. Seoul's proposal for military talks could open a channel if Pyongyang responds. Alternatively, the loudspeaker warning and the landmine dispute could add to border friction. France 24 also reported concerns that Seoul could be sidelined in any US-North Korea nuclear talks. The pending US-South Korean analysis of the missiles may clarify their capabilities.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.