North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally oversaw tests of suicide drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, emphasizing that unmanned control and AI capabilities must be prioritized in modern weapons development, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing North Korean state media.

According to the KCNA state news agency, Kim also inspected newly upgraded reconnaissance drones designed to detect various tactical targets and monitor enemy activities on land and at sea.

"Kim Jong Un said unmanned equipment and artificial intelligence technology must be top priorities in weapons modernisation," KCNA stated.

He highlighted the need for a coordinated, long-term national program to stay ahead in the intensifying competition for advanced military drones, KCNA added.

The report noted that North Korea has been actively developing drone technology, including kamikaze drones, in what is believed to be part of an expanding military alliance with Russia over the past year.

North Korea upped its rhetoric in 2024 and staged dozens of launches of missiles. In early November, North Korea launched a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, just days after it announced it tested an intercontinental ballistic missile, prompting condemnation from the South, the United States and Japan.

In mid-September, North Korea fired a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles.

In January, Kim urged an expansion of the country's nuclear capabilities.

Earlier this month, North Korea revealed for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction.

Kim has maintained a confrontational stance against the United States and South Korea. This comes despite past outreach efforts from President Donald Trump, who held historic summits with Kim during his first term and recently stated that he would "reach out to him again."

During Trump’s presidency from 2017 to 2021, he met Kim three times—in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Korean border. Despite the historic meetings, their diplomacy yielded no tangible results.