North Korea says tested AI-assisted torpedo system

North Korea has tested a new precision-guided torpedo system that employs artificial intelligence for target detection and guidance, according to state media. This development comes as the nuclear-armed nation escalates its weapons testing efforts. The announcement followed Pyongyang's recent tests of two types of cruise missiles from a submarine, following tensions with South Korea over a landmine explosion along their border.

Analysts suggest that North Korea's rapid advancement in missile and weapons technology may be supported by Russia, in exchange for providing troops to aid in its war against Ukraine. The underwater test-fire of the "super-speed" Zam-2.0 torpedo system occurred on Thursday, aimed at verifying the successful implementation of AI technology in the weapon's target detection and guidance functions.

According to KCNA, the test confirmed the system's efficiency in propulsion and rocket propulsion device performance, with over 180 test rounds conducted over the past five years. Earlier this month, North Korea announced the AI-assisted launch of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, stating that such a missile could alter its flight orbit at low altitudes.

The introduction of AI in torpedoes could potentially allow North Korea to carry out evasive maneuvers and make autonomous decisions to confuse adversaries. South Korea and the United States deploy decoy targets to distract torpedoes; however, AI could differentiate between genuine targets and decoys, according to Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University.

This development adds to an ongoing arms race between the two Koreas, with South Korea recently testing its own hypersonic glide vehicle. The rivalry comes amid speculation of a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as world leaders prepare for the APEC summit in China. North Korea's emphasis on AI in its weapons systems may be an attempt to portray itself as more advanced than South Korea, which it views as an ally of the US.

However, reducing the noise generated by torpedoes underwater remains a significant technical challenge for North Korea, as it currently generates enough noise to be detected.