North Korea's Kim calls for rapid expansion of drone technology and observes weapons tests

KCNA via KNS via AP

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for rapidly expanding the country's drone technology and observed tests of various weapons, state media reported Friday, as his nation remains embroiled in a standoff with rival South Korea along their heavily fortified border.

Acquiring advanced drones is a top priority for Kim, who now wants to beef up both conventional and nuclear capabilities. Experts say his troops dispatched to Russia to support its war against Ukraine have likely gained valuable expertise on drone warfare from Russian forces and related battlefield experiences.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim on Thursday visited an exhibition of a variety of attack and other drones that show recent achievements in the field of unmanned aeronautical technology.

In a speech at the exhibition, Kim stressed the need to seize "the absolute superiority in the drone technology" and announced unspecified steps needed to "rapidly expand and strengthen the unmanned aeronautical technology," KCNA said.

To mark the event, KCNA said that North Korea later conducted test-launches of various drones, missiles and weapons from the 600 mm-caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers. KCNA photos showed Kim watching soaring weapons or him clenching his fist while his teenage daughter was clapping her hands beside him. South Korea's spy agency assesses that the girl, reportedly about 13, is likely Kim's heir.

South Korea's military earlier said it detected the launches of about 10 short-range ballistic missiles from North Korea's eastern coastal town of Wonsan on Thursday. They were North Korea's first ballistic weapons firings in 17 days.

Tensions between the two Koreas are running high since last month's land mine blasts at their border that wounded three South Korean soldiers. Seoul accused North Korea of burying the mines south of the military demarcation line and demanded an apology. But 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 has pulled out of talks with the U.S. and South Korea after Kim's high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. In recent weeks, North Korea has dialed up weapons testing activities in a likely attempt to boost its leverage in potential diplomacy with the U.S. after Trump expressed his eagerness to restore talks with Kim.

On Saturday, Kim made a surprise visit to a Chinese border town via a newly opened bridge and vowed to develop bilateral ties. Kim has recently taken steps to cement ties with China, North Korea's economic pipeline, after years of prioritizing ties with Russia, including by supplying thousands of troops and ammunitions likely in return for economic and military assistence.

Meanwhile, Switzerland's Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrived in North Korea on Thursday to see the reopening of Switzerland's diplomatic office in Pyongyang and meet North Korean officials. He is travel on to South Korea on Friday.