North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has instructed the initiation of "mass production" for kamikaze-style drones, following his personal observation of testing procedures, AFP reported, citing North Korean state media.
The leader supervised testing operations for dual-purpose drones capable of striking both maritime and terrestrial targets, manufactured at North Korea's dedicated drone facility.
According to the official North Korean news agency KCNA, Kim emphasized "the need to build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production."
These unmanned aircraft, commonly referred to as kamikaze drones, are explosive-laden devices intended for single-use missions against enemy targets, functioning similarly to guided missile systems.
The North Korean military first displayed these weapons in August, with analysts suggesting this development could be linked to strengthened military cooperation with Moscow.
According to state media, the drones demonstrated precise targeting capabilities during Thursday's evaluation.
KCNA stated that "the suicide attack drones to be used within different striking ranges are to perform a mission to precisely attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea."
North Korea has upped its rhetoric in recent months and has also staged dozens of launches of missiles this year.
Last week, 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 July, the country tested a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a 4.5-ton super-large warhead.
Before the most recent tests, Kim inspected key missile bases, reviewing the "readiness for action of strategic deterrence" and describing US strategic nuclear capabilities as a threat.
The North Korean leader stressed the need to prioritize the strategic missile force in the modernization of the country's armed forces, calling it "an important principle of the strategy for building the national defense."