North Korea’s Kim calls for ‘destructive’ military posture as South plans to train ‘drone warriors’

Kim Jong Un, centre, observes the weapon tests at an undisclosed location, North Korea, Thursday, June 25, 2026. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed major weapons tests and called for the military’s “deadly and destructive offensive posture” to be bolstered, state media reported Friday, as South Korea announced it would drastically boost its drone warfare capabilities.

The development comes as tensions remain high on the Korean Peninsula, with Kim pushing to strengthen both nuclear and conventional military capabilities while refusing to return to talks with South Korea and the United States.

The tests watched by Kim on Thursday were meant to evaluate the power of a “special mission” warhead for a tactical ballistic missile, an upgraded multiple rocket launch system and the hit accuracy of shells with an extended firing range of a self-propelled gun-howitzer, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

KCNA cited Kim as saying results of the tests proved the technological progress achieved in a push to bring about a change in the fire posture on southern border areas, implying the tested weapons systems target sites in South Korea including U.S. military bases there.

Kim said North Korea’s self-defence policy includes an objective to strengthen “the deadly and destructive offensive posture to make no enemy dare to confront,” KCNA said. “To make the enemies feel constant uneasiness and fear is just an important aspect of the exercise of war deterrent.”

KCNA said the special mission warhead tested is aimed at “inflicting fatal damage on major targets including airfields, ports and power facilities of the enemy.”

Later Friday, South Korea’s Defence Ministry announced plans to beef up its drone forces, citing growing military threats by North Korea which allegedly received technology assistance from Russia. The plans include developing long-range exploding drones, acquiring more than 20,000 low-cost reconnaissance and attack drones and training the country’s entire 500,000 troops as “drone warriors.”

“North Korea is also currently receiving technology transfers from Russia, so there’s an urgent need for us to respond proactively to the changing nature of warfare and the evolving operational environment,” Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told reporters.

Ahn said the plans reflect how low-cost loitering munitions like drones are becoming crucial in modern warfare, including in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that also involved thousands of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian troops. Ahn said the South Korean military plans to have 500,000 “drone warriors” across the army, navy, air force and marines who operate drones “easily like personal firearms.”

North Korea has been focusing on enlarging its nuclear and missile arsenals since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. He’s later underscored the need to build sophisticated conventional weapons as well.

On Tuesday, North Korea commissioned the 5,000-ton destroyer that Kim touted as a symbol of the country’s growing naval and nuclear capabilities. The Choe Hyon is North Korea’s most advanced warship.

In response to Trump’s repeated outreach to restart diplomacy, Kim has suggested that talks can resume if the U.S. drops its demand for denuclearization of North Korea as a precondition of diplomacy. Kim has taken a harsher posture on South Korea, calling it his country’s “principal enemy” and building more military structures along the rivals’ heavily fortified border.

Kim has boosted his diplomatic footprint in past years by expanding ties with Russia with his support of its war against Ukraine. Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited North Korea for the first time in seven years for a meeting with Kim.

Hyung-jin Kim And Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press