Important military statement: DPRK leader announces new rules for modern warfare

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has set urgent tasks for the country's armed forces to rapidly develop unmanned military technologies, deeply integrate artificial intelligence (AI) systems into them, and drastically increase the combat capabilities of drones.

This was reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The DPRK leader put forward these important policy statements during his visit to the "Unmanned Aviation Technology Development — 2026" specialized military exhibition, which opened in Pyongyang.

"The main weapon of modern warfare": Kim Jong Un's strategic assessment

Speaking at the exhibition, Kim Jong Un drew attention to the fact that the nature of military conflicts in the international arena has changed fundamentally:

• Priority task: "Based on today's development trends, we must consider the rapid advancement of key technologies in this field, the introduction of artificial intelligence into unmanned weapon systems, and the enhancement of their ability to conduct military operations as the primary task in modernizing our armed forces," the head of state emphasized;

• Absolute superiority: Noting that drones have become the decisive leading tool in modern armed conflicts, the North Korean leader stated that achieving absolute military superiority in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles is a mandatory and non-alternative choice;

• New state-level strategy: The DPRK leader presented a special state strategy for the development of the national defense sector and announced that important government decisions aimed at rapidly expanding and strengthening the country's unmanned aviation forces would be adopted.

"Peace is guaranteed only by strength"

In his speech, Kim Jong Un once again reiterated his principled position on strengthening national security and further increasing the country's defense power:

• Uncompromising political stance: According to him, in the current era of heightened geopolitical tensions, the country's peace and sovereignty can be maintained only through high-tech military power capable of deterrence;

• Technological race: North Korea's steps toward developing AI-controlled drones and autonomous strike vehicles are being assessed as a factor that directly affects the regional security balance.

The AI-based military modernization plan put forward by Pyongyang shows that the DPRK's defense industry is focusing primarily on high-tech and autonomous unmanned systems in the coming years.