Kim Jong Un Orders Faster AI Development to Strengthen North Korea's Weapons Systems
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North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, toured several weapons production plants over three days through Friday, September 18, and called for accelerating the development of artificial intelligence, or AI, in both offensive and defensive weapons systems. The visit came after North Korea held a joint fire-support exercise over the past weekend using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and attack drones. Images released by KCNA showed Kim Jong Un observing large multiple-launch rocket systems and drones inside the plants. Kim Jong Un said North Korea's success in improving its defense capabilities across all components, including artillery, reflects a major shift in the composition and methods of employing the country's armed forces, and he called for rapidly expanding production capacity, continuously improving technical processes, and upgrading armor and automation systems for artillery weapons. Analysts noted that North Korea may be trying to emulate Russia's use of attack missiles alongside drones in the war with Ukraine, and South Korean media predicted that North Korea could export such weapons systems to Russia. Japan, the United States, and South Korea view the large rockets as ballistic missiles. On the same day, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim Jong Un and a senior official of the Workers' Party of Korea, rejected the latest resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency criticizing North Korea's development of its nuclear program, saying the resolution ignored the security environment North Korea faces and accusing the IAEA of double standards by remaining silent on U.S. nuclear weapons proliferation and South Korea's plan to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. China and Russia were two of the six countries that opposed endorsing the resolution at the IAEA's annual conference in Vienna.