SEOUL, Sept 03 (AP): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a demonstration of new exploding drones designed to crash into targets, state media said Monday, as the U.S. and South Korea engage in joint military drills.
North Korean test photos showed a white drone with X-shaped tails and wings supposedly crashing into and destroying a target resembling South Korea's main K-2 battle tank. Most combat drones stand off from targets and fire missiles.
The North's official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday's test involved various types of drones built to fly different ranges to attack enemy targets on land and sea and flew along various routes before accurately hitting test targets.
After the test, Kim pledged to spur the development of drones that explode on impact, conduct reconnaissance or attack targets underwater to boost his country's war readiness, saying the North's military should be equipped with advanced drones "as early as possible," KCNA said.
The drone test came as the U.S. and South Korean militaries conduct the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which continue through Thursday. The exercises focus on enhancing their readiness against North Korean threats and include computer-simulated war games and live-fire training, with a combined aerial drill involving 60 warplanes that began its three-day run on Monday.
South Korea's air force said the drill, which kicked off with precision-bombing demonstrations that included South Korean F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, is aimed at coping with North Korean threats posed by drones, cruise missiles and artillery.
The United States and South Korea also began Monday a separate amphibious landing drill involving dozens of aircraft and vessels from their navies and marines, including U.S. F-35 fighters and amphibious assault ship USS Boxer. South Korea's military said the Ssangyong Exercise, which will continue through Sept. 7, is aimed at sharpening combat interoperability.
Lee Chang Hyun, spokesperson of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a briefing that South Korea's military was closely examining North Korea's drone capabilities and that the South's military is equipped with systems to detect and intercept them, without providing further details.
Some analysts suggest the North Korean drones shown in state media photos resemble Russia's Zala Lancet-3 drones, and Lee said the South was looking into the possibility Russia had helped North Korea acquire its drone capability.
"We are aware that during the past exchanges between North Korea and Russia that some (drones) were given (to North Korea) as gifts," Lee said.
