Kim Jong-un Calls for Strengthening North Korea's Drone Technology

According to a report by Reference News Network on November 1, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on October 30 that, according to the Korean Central News Agency on the 30th, North Korea held an exhibition titled "Unmanned Aerial Technology Development-2026" on the 29th, during which it conducted launches of 600mm rocket artillery and live-fire tests of drones. Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, attended the event and observed the test launches.

According to reports, the exhibition showcased various strategic and tactical weapons, demonstrating the power of different types of weaponry during the event. It was reported that tactical suicide drones, air-to-ground missiles launched from multipurpose drones, and cruise missiles hitting island targets were displayed, with the 600mm large-caliber rocket artillery, referred to as the "sniper," making its first public launch. The reliability and strike effectiveness of all major weapon systems were verified.

After visiting the site, Kim Jong-un delivered a speech, calling for the enhancement of drone technology. Kim stated that North Korea has gradually made progress in building nuclear and conventional military capabilities and hopes that the scientific community will work hard to achieve results in the fields of national defense artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned aerial technology.

The Korean Central News Agency did not mention the location of the exhibition and weapon tests, but based on the site arrangement, the event likely took place at Wonsan Kalma Airport.

According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the eastern waters of the Korean Peninsula around 12:30 PM on the 29th from the Wonsan area, with the missiles flying a distance of approximately 250 kilometers.