It was pointed out on Thursday that North Korea could utilize its artificial intelligence (AI) technology development for psychological warfare, such as producing and disseminating disinformation targeting South Korea, as well as monitoring its citizens.
Kim Min Jung, an Associate Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Security Strategy, made this claim in a report published on Wednesday titled “The Potential Human Rights Violations by North Korea Using AI Technology and Our Response Measures.”
According to Kim, North Korea is advancing research into generative AI, as indicated by the inclusion of related content in a 2024 paper published by the Central Information Agency for Science and Technology.
Kim argued, “The intentional misuse of generative AI for disseminating false information, propaganda, and agitation is a frequent occurrence globally,” emphasizing the necessity of preemptive sanctions.
Kim cited examples such as Venezuela’s state-run media spreading pro-government messages through AI-generated virtual news anchors, China’s chatbots being designed to avoid answering questions about the Tiananmen Square incident, and restrictions in India on accessing content related to incidents involving Prime Minister Modi, such as the Gujarat violence.
Authoritarian governments’ misuse of AI threatens a free and open digital environment. Freedom House, a U.S.-based NGO, warned in 2023 that global internet freedom had declined for 13 consecutive years, with generative AI increasingly used to manipulate public opinion.
Kim predicted, “If the North Korean regime acquires such technology, it is expected to mass-produce false information for idolization and regime propaganda, not only targeting its own citizens but also spreading disinformation aimed at South Korea.”
North Korea has consistently invested in AI research. The groundwork for technology development was laid during Kim Il Sung’s rule. Under Kim Jong Il, the country experimented with deep learning technologies, such as voice recognition software, while introducing a nationwide fiber-optic network-based intranet and mobile telecommunications.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has prioritized science and informatization in his policy. In 2018, he established advanced technology development centers for big data analysis and promoted AI program universities. In 2019, the constitution was amended to include informatization alongside indigenization, modernization, and conscientization as state goals.
Kim Min Jung further noted that North Korea’s AI capabilities significantly improved after it upgraded the status of its AI research institute in 2021 and incorporated it into the Ministry of Information Industry.
North Korea has also pursued extensive overseas collaboration. In 2016 it circumvented UN Security Council sanctions to engage in AI exchanges with 45 countries. Over seven years, from 2017 to 2023, it co-published joint research papers with institutions from at least 12 countries.
Kim pointed out that North Korea’s AI technology has the potential to be used for military applications and human rights violations, warranting international sanctions and a prohibition on related research collaborations. In 2022, North Korea’s academic journal Information Science disclosed ongoing research on war simulation development using reinforcement learning, a subset of machine learning.
