North Korean leader supervises test of 'suicide drones,' calls them crucial for war readiness

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a demonstration of new “suicide drones” and pledged to spur the development of such weapons to boost his military’s war readiness, state media said Monday.

Kim has been flaunting his growing military capabilities amid tensions with Washington and Seoul. North Korean photos of the test showed a white drone with X-shaped tails and wings supposedly crashing into and destroying a target resembling South Korea’s K-2 main battle tank. Most combat drones stand off from targets and attack with missiles.

The test, which state media said took place Saturday, came as the U.S. and South Korean militaries are conducting a large-scale exercise aimed at enhancing their combined capabilities to defend against growing North Korean nuclear threats.

The allies said the drills, which continue through Thursday, are focused on enhancing their readiness against various North Korean threats and would also reflect lessons learned from recent armed conflicts.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday's test involved various types of drones built to fly different ranges to attack enemy targets on land and sea. It said the drones flew along various routes before accurately hitting test targets.

Kim said that global trends in military technologies and modern combat show the importance of drones in war and that the North's military should be equipped with advanced drones “as early as possible.”

He called for accelerated development and production of various systems, including “suicide drones” that can be used by the infantry and special operations units, reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones, and underwater suicide attack drones, KCNA said.

Animosity on the Korean Peninsula is high as Kim uses Russia’s war against Ukraine as a distraction while he strengthens his nuclear-armed military and issues verbal threats of conflict toward Washington and Seoul.

While most of the international attention has been focused on his long-range missiles designed to reach the U.S. mainland, Kim has also been expanding weapons targeting rival South Korea, most notably short-range missiles and artillery systems the North has described as nuclear-capable.

Earlier this month, Kim staged a huge ceremony in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, to mark the delivery of 250 nuclear-capable missile launchers to frontline military units and called for a ceaseless expansion of the military’s nuclear program.

The event added to concerns about Kim’s weapons program as he demonstrates an intent to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons along the North’s border with South Korea and claims his military could react with preemptive nuclear strikes if it perceived the leadership was under threat.

Analysts say Kim may seek to dial up pressure in a U.S. election year as he advances his long-term goals of forcing Washington to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of strength.