North Korea Says Missile Drill Tested AI-Assisted Flight

North Korea said on October 3 that it had conducted a firing exercise involving an intermediate-range strategic missile launched from its eastern region toward waters off the Korean peninsula. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected a ballistic missile leaving the Wonsan area and assessed that it travelled more than 700 kilometres toward the East Sea.¹³¹⁰

Infographic

Enlarge

Different accounts of the flight

Pyongyang said the missile struck a target 1,000 kilometres away in waters off North Korea’s east coast. Its account described the event as a military drill rather than solely a weapons test and said troops operating what it called a hypersonic strategic weapon system received training.²⁷⁸

The external assessments were shorter. South Korea’s military put the distance at more than 700 kilometres, while Japan’s Defence Ministry estimated about 680 kilometres and a peak altitude of roughly 90 kilometres. Japan said the missile came down outside its exclusive economic zone.²⁸⁹

North Korea said Kim Jong Un supervised the test. North Korea said the drill evaluated the dependability, performance and deployment flexibility of its deterrent force. Kim said continued development of the nuclear war deterrent remained essential to national security.²⁷⁸

Claims of artificial intelligence and manoeuvrability

Kim Yo Jong, a senior Workers’ Party official and the North Korean leader’s sister, said the missile could alter its flight path at low altitude and incorporated artificial-intelligence technology. North Korea’s Missile Administration said the weapon could be assigned at least four types of flight path, depending on its mission and target.¹²³

She also claimed that South Korean and Japanese systems had lost track of the weapon when North Korea used a wave-like trajectory. South Korea’s military did not immediately respond to that assertion. Pyongyang has not provided independent confirmation that the missile can perform the described manoeuvres or that its AI-related systems operated as claimed.¹²³⁸

Hong Sung-pyo said artificial intelligence could assist with target data and launch procedures but cautioned that its use would not guarantee accuracy. Another assessment cited by AFP said it was too early to determine whether North Korea’s account of the missile’s capabilities was correct.¹

Border dispute adds to tensions

The launch followed mine explosions on September 21 in the Demilitarized Zone that wounded three South Korean soldiers. South Korea and the US-led United Nations Command concluded that North Korean mines caused the blasts. The command determined that North Korea had violated the armistice agreement, according to The Hindu.¹²⁴

South Korea demanded an apology and said the mines had been planted by North Korea. Kim Yo Jong rejected the accusation, denying that North Korean forces had deliberately placed mines to target South Korean troops. The mines were believed to have been laid during North Korean work to fortify the border, according to AFP.¹²⁸

North Korea has conducted more than 10 missile tests this year. Following the latest launch, South Korea, the United States and Japan maintained what they described as a robust defence posture through close information sharing.¹²⁶⁸