Korean Central News Agency

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared artificial intelligence (AI) development a “top priority” for his country’s military modernisation, particularly in enhancing drone technology, state media reported.

During a visit to the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex in Pyongyang on Thursday, Kim inspected performance tests of multipurpose drones and unmanned surveillance vehicles. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said he stressed the importance of “rapidly developing newly-introduced AI technology” to boost unmanned weapons systems. He also urged officials to expand drone production capacity.

The visit came shortly after Kim oversaw a test of a new solid-fuel rocket engine designed for …