Testing of Suicide Drones 'Similar to Shahed Drones' in North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the testing stages of 'four different types of suicide drones' made in his country, marking the first test of such weapons in this isolated and sanctioned nation. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, there are similarities between the drones tested by North Korea and the Iranian 'Shahed' model, although this requires further investigation and testing. North Korean state media reported that on Saturday, September 3, Kim Jong Un visited the drone production section at his country's Defense Science Institute and witnessed the 'successful' testing of drones that destroyed designated targets after flying along various planned routes, including a model of a reconnaissance tank. The report stated that the North Korean leader urged those involved in this field to expand these types of offensive drones using artificial intelligence for use in tactical infantry units and special operations units for tasks such as underwater offensive operations, multi-purpose attacks, and reconnaissance of strategic points. Drones that fly in operational areas and await attacks on targets for identification and impact are widely used as 'loitering munitions' in recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the counterattacks by the Israeli army and Hezbollah on both sides of the northern border of Israel and southern Lebanon, as well as in the Gaza war. Drones act like explosive warheads upon impact; they self-destruct and eliminate the target. The use of drones has changed the dynamics of battlefields. Ukraine has recently targeted important Russian airbases deep within Russian territory using long-range drones. On the other hand, Israel, which has various defense systems like the 'Iron Dome' and 'David's Sling' to counter short-range and mid-range rockets, long-range, ballistic, and cruise missiles, has yet to find effective weapons to counter Hezbollah's drones. Israel itself is a major power in producing various drones and exporting them worldwide. AFP reported that some of North Korea's experimental drones resembled Israeli drones, which Iran may have produced through hacking Israeli industries. According to images released by North Korean state media, at least four types of drones were tested during Kim Jong Un's visit to the Defense Science Institute. Some of them initially took to the sky with the help of short-range rocket engines. A spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff pointed out the initial similarities between some North Korean drones and the Iranian Shahed drones used by Russia in the Ukraine war, stating that this matter requires further analysis. South Korea referred to the recent arms exchanges between North Korea and Russia as mutual military gifts but added that it remains to be seen whether North Korea has improved the performance of the drones if Russia provided Shaheds in these exchanges. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited North Korea. Pyongyang also has close military cooperation with Iran, which is accused of supplying Russia with various 'Shahed' drones. The South Korean Ministry of Unification announced that this is the first time North Korea has unveiled a suicide drone, although North Korean drones reportedly briefly entered South Korean airspace near the border two years ago before returning. South Korea, a U.S. and Japan ally in East Asia, is concerned about the military strengthening of North Korea, a nuclear-armed regime. The South Korean and U.S. armies began their annual summer exercises last week, including measures to counter North Korean drones. The South Korean military plans to begin using laser weapons to counter drones from hostile forces by the end of this year, which, if successful, would make it the first army in the world to operationalize these weapons. Several South Korean skyscrapers have previously installed anti-aircraft systems on their roofs to counter potential drone strikes from North Korea.