North Korea Fires AI-Assisted Missile, Claims Evasive Flight Capabilities

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of a missile that state media reported on Sunday allegedly used artificial intelligence to adjust its trajectory.

Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister, stated that the AI technology enables the missile to change its flight orbit at a low altitude, making an attack no way to avoid. The missile launched from an area around the eastern coastal city of Wonsan early Saturday morning and flew more than 700 kilometers, according to South Korea's military.

Japan's Defense Ministry later reported the distance at approximately 680 kilometers. Kim Yo Jong cited this discrepancy as proof that enemy forces failed to track the targets from their first skip points. South Korea's military disputed the claim that the missile was unavoidable, asserting it was well within the detection and interception capabilities of defensive assets operated by South Korea and the United States.

Seoul urged North Korea to immediately cease actions that heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, noting the launch violated UN Security Council resolutions. Kim Jong Un stated that the strategic missile soldiers fully demonstrated their professional qualifications and counterattack posture through the launching drill. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) disclosed the exact coordinates where the missile hit its target, a level of detail analysts like Hong Min of the Korea Institute for National Unification said reflected Pyongyang's confidence.

The launch followed a day after Kim Yo Jong mocked Seoul's demand for an apology regarding landmine explosions on September 21, which wounded three South Korean soldiers.