Home > National > North Korea

North Korean leader oversaw 'modern warfare' drill: KCNA

Published: 06 Apr. 2025, 15:53

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un instructs training on April 4. [NEWS1]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a special operations training drill, emphasizing “modern warfare” and “new tactics in our own style,” amid speculation the military is adapting strategies based on combat experience in Ukraine.

According to the Rodong Sinmun, Kim visited a training site on Friday to observe tactical drills and a sniper shooting competition.

He stressed that thorough combat preparation is the “highest form of patriotism and loyalty” and said battlefield capability is built through intensive training.

Kim called for unity among troops and reaffirmed that strengthening the country's special forces remains a key pillar of military development. State media said the drills aimed to test practical tactics tailored to modern warfare and enhance real-world combat readiness.

Analysts suggest the exercises may reflect efforts to develop counter-drone tactics suited to the Korean Peninsula. South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence report that over 4,000 of the 11,000 North Korean troops allegedly sent to assist Russia were killed or injured, many by drone attacks.

Foreign outlets have reported North Korean soldiers using improvised tactics, such as splitting into teams to lure and shoot down drones.

Photos released by state media showed Kim inspecting soldiers using hay and brush for camouflage and practicing hiding out in the vegetation — likely a measure against drone surveillance.

While such concealment is ineffective on Ukraine’s open plains, analysts say it may be aimed at the mountainous Korean terrain. Visual camouflage may evade optical drones but not thermal imaging systems, which are widely used in Ukraine.

Cho Sang-geun, a researcher at KAIST, noted that the threat could grow depending on North Korea’s equipment.

“A key question is whether their camouflage includes heat-resistant features,” Cho said. “Our forces lack widespread deployment of thermal drones at the squad level, making North Korea’s moves potentially dangerous.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]