Kim Jong-un urges drone expansion as North Korea showcases new unmanned tech

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended an exhibition devoted to drones and called for rapidly expanding the country’s drone technology, state media reported on Friday, as his military escalates threats against South Korea and the United States.

Acquiring advanced drones is a top priority for Kim, who now wants to strengthen conventional and nuclear capabilities to counter what he calls US-led security threats.

It is unclear how far North Korea’s drone programme has progressed. Experts say Kim’s troops sent to Russia to support its war against Ukraine likely gained experience in drone warfare from Russian forces and their own battlefield experiences.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited the exhibition on Thursday, viewing attack drones and other models that it said showed recent achievements in drone technology. In a speech there, Kim announced unspecified steps needed to “rapidly expand and strengthen the unmanned aeronautical technology”, KCNA said.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said it appeared to be North Korea’s first exhibition exclusively dedicated to drones. South Korean media reported the exhibition displayed more than 30 kinds of drones, including stealth drones and first-person-view attack drones.

In an analysis for the North Korea-focused 38 North website in September 2025, analyst Martyn Williams said the country’s drone programme dated back to at least 2011 and that “further drone development and deployment should be expected as the country works to enhance preparedness for modern warfare”.

“The use of drones has been critical in the wars currently being fought in Europe and the Middle East. This trend is likely to ring true for future conflicts – a lesson that all countries are learning, including North Korea,” Williams wrote.

South Korea’s state-run Institute for National Security Strategy said in a report last year that Russian assistance could help North Korea overcome technological and industrial limitations on its drone programme.

To mark the event, KCNA said North Korea tested various drones, missiles and 600mm-calibre ultraprecision multiple rocket launchers.

KCNA photos showed Kim watching soaring weapons and clenching his fist while his teenage daughter stood beside him and clapped. South Korea’s spy agency believes the girl, reportedly about 13, is Kim’s designated heir.

South Korea’s military said it detected the launch of about 10 short-range ballistic missiles off the North’s east coast on Thursday.

Tensions between the two Koreas have been high since mine blasts at their border last month wounded three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused North Korea of burying the mines south of the military demarcation line and demanded an apology. Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the explosions and warned of retaliation if provoked.

Last week, North Korea threatened to resume propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts and place new weapons systems along the border.

North Korea’s Defence Ministry on Friday condemned a joint US-South Korea air exercise as “provocative” and warned it was increasing the danger of an armed conflict. South Korea’s military has said the two-week biannual Freedom Flag drill was to run until November 6 and was meant to improve combined operational capabilities. It said fighter jets, helicopters and drones would take part.

North Korea pulled out of talks with the US and South Korea after Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. In recent weeks, North Korea has dialled up weapons testing activities in a likely attempt to boost its leverage in potential diplomacy with the US after Trump expressed his eagerness to restore talks with Kim.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrived in North Korea on Thursday for the reopening of Switzerland’s diplomatic office in Pyongyang. He also met with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and discussed promoting dialogue between the countries, KCNA said on Saturday.