North Korea has conducted a test of a new precision-guided torpedo system equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, state media reported on Sunday. The underwater trial took place Thursday and involved the “super-speed” Zam-2.0 torpedo, which North Korean officials said incorporated AI for improved target detection and guidance.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) described the test as a means to verify upgrades in propulsion efficiency and rocket propulsion capabilities, noting the weapon system has undergone more than 180 different tests over the past five years. The announcement follows recent demonstrations by Pyongyang of AI-assisted missile technology, including the launch of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile earlier this month praised for its ability to alter flight paths at low altitudes.
Torpedoes are designed to strike underwater targets rapidly, and AI integration could potentially afford North Korea’s weapons the capacity to execute autonomous evasive maneuvers and better distinguish actual targets from countermeasures such as decoys. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University, explained that while South Korea and the United States currently deploy decoys to mislead torpedoes, AI could improve target recognition to circumvent these defenses.
The tests come amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, following a recent landmine incident along the border between North and South Korea and a surge in missile launches from Pyongyang, including submarine-launched cruise missiles. Analysts suggest North Korea’s weapons advancements may be progressing rapidly with assistance from Russia, which could be linked to Moscow’s engagement with Pyongyang through troop deployments in the conflict in Ukraine.
In September, Kim Jong-un emphasized the importance of integrating AI into the nation’s weapons systems. The latest torpedo test appears to be part of Pyongyang’s broader strategy to showcase its ability to challenge US and allied military assets in the region. South Korea has responded with its own weapons developments, including a hypersonic glide vehicle test described as a strategic asset capable of shifting battlefield dynamics. North Korea questioned the success of Seoul’s hypersonic test, a claim Seoul has denied.
Experts suggest North Korea still faces significant technical hurdles, particularly regarding noise reduction during high-speed underwater travel, which is crucial to avoiding detection. Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, noted that minimizing noise remains a sophisticated challenge North Korea has yet to overcome fully.
These developments emerge as speculation grows about a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, with diplomatic overtures on both sides ongoing. Observers note Pyongyang may be downplaying South Korea’s hypersonic missile capabilities to position itself as holding the upper hand in the regional arms race.