Author: Shen Guishi
SEOUL, Feb 16 (Reuters) – North Korea is set to unveil new weapons development targets at its ninth party congress this month, with assessments that Pyongyang has checked off only part of a list of capabilities laid out by leader Kim Jong Un at the 2021 party congress.
While nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles remain central to Kim Jong Un’s strategy, analysts say a more complex record lies in conventional systems that enhance North Korea’s ability to find targets, coordinate forces and apply pressure below its nuclear threshold, including drones, submarines and space-based surveillance.
In his report to the Eighth Party Congress, Kim Jong Un urged the development of a range of systems, including hypersonic weapons, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles and military reconnaissance satellites and drones, state media reported.
The full text of the report also mentioned that the design of the new nuclear-powered submarine is in the “final review” stage, and stated that work on electronic weapons such as “unmanned strike equipment,” “reconnaissance and detection means,” and “military reconnaissance satellites” has been completed.
drone
Since 2021, state media has repeatedly shown Kim Jong Un overseeing tests of surveillance drones while urging the prioritization of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence for use in modern warfare.
A September analysis by U.S. think tank 38 North said North Korea was expanding its drone program and production capabilities.
The Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank run by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, also noted in a September report that Ukrainian officials claimed Russia had established production capabilities for Russian drones in North Korea.
The report said: “If this is true, then North Korea’s drone cooperation with Russia goes beyond simple technical exchanges and will have a major strategic impact on the security environment of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.” The report noted that this poses a “serious threat” to South Korea’s security agencies.
artillery
Kim Jong-un has emphasized conventional strike capabilities as a core pillar, including “super-large” multiple rocket launcher exercises and an order issued by the end of 2025 to increase the production of rocket launchers, which state media KCNA said are the backbone of modern long-range artillery.
South Korea’s military also said North Korea has supplied Russia with conventional systems such as 240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled howitzers, noting that it has stockpiles and industrial capabilities even under sanctions.
Yang Xu, a military expert at South Korea’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said that in terms of conventional weapons arsenal, “Pyongyang’s biggest achievement is the arms exports brought about by the Ukrainian war.”
North Korea’s large-scale arms exports have cleared “unsaleable inventory” from its wartime reserves and are now “gradually modernizing with the release of resources,” Yang said.
submarine
In 2023, North Korea launched a so-called “tactical nuclear attack submarine,” which analysts said appeared to be a modified Romeo-class submarine, but South Korean officials questioned whether it was fully functional.
In late December 2025, state media released photos purportedly showing Kim Jong Un inspecting the construction of an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine capable of launching surface-to-air missiles.
Analysts say the submarine push signals intent, but propulsion, sensors, weapons integration and crew proficiency remain major hurdles in a country under crippling sanctions.
“When it comes to submarines, they seem to have failed,” Yang said. He believed that after launching a new ship in 2023, North Korea “hasn’t even properly tested it, which shows that there are major problems with submersibles.”
Claims that Russia supports submarine development are difficult to substantiate, Yang said, adding that the bottleneck lies in integrating nuclear reactors into a viable design.
satellite
One of North Korea’s most important weapons targets in 2021 may be military reconnaissance in space.
The country successfully launched its first military spy satellite into orbit in November 2023, but observers including the Heritage Foundation say the satellite’s capabilities are largely unknown.
A later attempt to launch another reconnaissance satellite in May 2024 failed when the rocket exploded in flight.
In his speech, Kim Jong Un vowed that the program would continue, but Pyongyang has not announced any new launches.
“Essentially, this shows that (North Korea) has not yet achieved its 2021 target, although now Russia may personally participate in this effort,” said Doo Jin-ho, director of the Eurasian Research Center at South Korea’s Institute for National Strategic Studies.
He said Pyongyang may delay another attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite until it can ensure reliability because “if it fails again, it will not only be North Korea that loses face, but Russia will also lose face.”
Russia denies that its military transfers violate the U.N. arms embargo on North Korea.
(Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Ed Davies and Michael Perry)
