Drones revealed by North Korea during performance tests of strategic reconnaissance and artificial intelligence-powered suicide drones—inspected by Kim Jong Un—appear to have been trained with AI to identify and autonomously strike targets resembling South Korean or U.S. military equipment stationed in Korea, according to new analysis.
According to the office of Yoo Yong Won, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, Friday’s analysis of the defense science research trials North Korea publicized on the previous day shows that one of North Korea’s cardboard drones struck a target modeled after the South Korean military’s long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) launcher vehicle and counter-battery radar system.
Rep. Yoo explained that it appears North Korea is attempting to neutralize air defense systems with a “swarm” attack strategy using cardboard drones, which are difficult to detect by radar. He also noted that the target imagery has shifted from civilian vehicles in November 2024 to military vehicles, indicating an increase in destructive capability.
The report also showed North Korea’s version of loitering munitions—similar to Israel’s HAROP and HERO—striking targets resembling South Korea’s K1 tank and U.S. Stryker armored vehicles, resulting in explosions. Analysts suggest that North Korea may be training its drone AI systems to recognize and target military equipment used by the South Korean and U.S. armed forces to enhance strike precision.
There are also claims that North Korea is diversifying its attack drone arsenal based on lessons from the Russia- Ukraine war. On Thursday, North Korea revealed, for the first time, footage of a vertical takeoff and landing quadcopter dropping bombs. The drone appeared to release multiple bombs over a building, resembling drone combat tactics employed in Ukraine.
Rep. Yoo stated, “It appears that North Korea has secured a large quantity of Russian avionics equipment in return for dispatching troops to the war in Ukraine.” He added, “With support from Russia and by copying military technologies from countries like China, North Korea will likely continue advancing its weapons systems.”