North Korea claims to have tested an intermediate-range strategic missile incorporating artificial intelligence on Saturday. Pyongyang assures that the projectile can change its trajectory at low altitude.
Published on: 03/10/2026 - 03:50 Modified on: 03/10/2026 - 14:10
North Korea announced on Saturday October 3 that it had tested an intermediate-range strategic missile using artificial intelligence (AI).
Precisely, the missile fired on Saturday “is capable of modifying its flight trajectory at low altitude and AI has been integrated into it,” said Kim Yo-jong, the sister of leader Kim Jong-un, in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Seoul announced that Pyongyang had fired a ballistic missile. "Our armed forces detected a ballistic missile fired from the Wonsan area of North Korea towards the East Sea," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, using the Korean name for the Sea of Japan.
The projectile fell into the sea about 700 km from its launch point, he said, while South Korea said it had lifted its surveillance and would share its intelligence with the United States and Japan.
For their part, the Japanese Coast Guard said in a statement citing the Defense Ministry that it was possible that the projectile was a ballistic missile.
This new shot comes amid renewed tension between North Korea and South Korea, which has accused its neighbor of having laid antipersonnel mines in its part of the demilitarized zone which separates them.
The explosion of two of these devices injured three South Korean soldiers on September 21. Seoul demanded an apology from Pyongyang for the incident, which it described as a violation of the 1953 armistice, which ended the Korean War.
“Ready for anything”
“This is a clear violation of the armistice agreement and, since North Korea bears responsibility, we will take appropriate measures,” said South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul.
North Korea has denied responsibility for the incident and rejected Seoul's demand for an apology as "pathetic."
“We are ready for anything, whatever option they choose,” Kim Yo-jong, leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister seen as an unofficial spokeswoman for Pyongyang, said in response to Kang Shin-chul's warnings.
North Korea is under heavy United Nations sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programs, which it views as life insurance against any attempted invasion or overthrow of its regime by the United States.
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Pyongyang, which concluded a mutual defense agreement with Moscow in 2024, has been accused by kyiv of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia to attack Ukraine.
With AFP and Reuters
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