North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first test of new “Kumson” series tactical strike drones during a visit to the country’s primary unmanned weapons facility, state media reported Friday.
Kim presided over performance tests of the multipurpose strike drones and unmanned surveillance vehicles at the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
On September 19, 2025, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw the testing of a new line of tactical strike drones, known as the “Kumson” series. Reported by KCNA, this was the first public unveiling of these unmanned aerial systems. pic.twitter.com/WcuF0Ov3X6
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) September 19, 2025
According to the Rodong Sinmun state newspaper, Kim “learned in detail about the performance and combat application of various types of unmanned weapons and equipment, including strategic and tactical unmanned surveillance vehicles and multi-purpose drones being developed and produced.”
KCNA reported that “Kim Jong Un expressed great satisfaction over the result of the test.” The leader emphasized that unmanned equipment was emerging as a major military asset in modern warfare, making drone development a critical priority for military modernization.
The country’s “Kumson” drone program features obvious clones of two U.S. Air Force vehicles: the RQ-4 Global Hawk and the MQ-9 Reaper. The North Korean versions, designated Saetbyol-4 and Saetbyol-9, were first displayed at an arms exhibition and military parade in July 2023.
Bottom the Saetbyol 4. pic.twitter.com/K8HbfA0G5J
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) January 15, 2024
The Saetbyol-4 functions as a reconnaissance aircraft with design elements similar to the Global Hawk’s bulging fuselage, while the Saetbyol-9 operates as an attack drone comparable to the Reaper.
North Korea has increasingly focused on drone technology following its military support for Russia’s war against Ukraine. Since October 2024, the country has deployed approximately 13,000 troops and conventional weapons to support Russia’s war effort. The country previously tested attack drones equipped with artificial intelligence in March.
The drone development occurs alongside North Korea’s broader military expansion, which includes nuclear-armed ballistic and cruise missiles, an increasing nuclear weapons stockpile and a nascent spy satellite program, according to the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. The country maintains an estimated one million active duty personnel supplemented by more than seven million reservists from a population of roughly 25.6 million.
