North Korea on Saturday said that its latest intermediate-range strategic missile test used artificial intelligence, which could help the weapon change its path and make it harder to stop.
Saturday’s launch came as tensions between the two countries continued to rise, as South Korea blamed the North over a land mine blast that wounded three South Korea soldiers near the border.
In response to Pyongyang’s latest missile test, Seoul held an emergency security meeting and reviewed its military response.
North Korea claims AI makes missile harder to intercept
According to Seoul’s military, they detected the ballistic missile from the Wonsan area of North Korea toward the East Sea or the Sea of Japan.
The government said the missile flew more than 700 kilometers.
Describing the test, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean Kim Jong-un, said the missile was an “intermediate-range strategic missile,” adding that it is “capable of changing its flight orbit at a low altitude and AI was introduced into it.”
Kim did not explain how the AI was used. She also said the use of AI could make the missile impossible to avoid.
“In other words, this means that there is no way to avoid this attack,” she said.
Kim also took pride in the new technology, claiming that South Korea and Japan had trouble tracking the missile as it used a different flight path.
“Whenever we applied the wave-like trajectory mode to missiles, the enemy failed to track the targets from their first skip points,” she said.
However, North Korea did not provide independent evidence to support the claims.
READ THIS: South Korean golfer Tom Kim wins Asian Games gold, gains military exemption
Seoul calls for emergency meeting
After Saturday’s missile launch, South Korea’s presidential National Security Office immediately held an emergency meeting, where they discussed how North Korea violated UN Security Council resolutions and called on Pyongyang to stop its “provocative action.”
South Korea, the United States, and Japan also held a phone call to discuss the launch and possible joint responses. Seoul also vowed to watch for any further launches.
AI claim needs to be tested
As AI is now widely used in military technology, experts expressed doubts about Pyongyang’s claims of AI use, and said that they need to confirm if it has already achieved such advanced systems.
According to Hong Sung-pyo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, it is true that AI can assist with target information and launch operations, but warned that it was too early to accept North Korea’s claims, saying its missile technology “is not particularly advanced compared with leading military powers.”
“While missiles that manoeuvre in their terminal phase are difficult to intercept, that does not mean they can strike their targets with perfect accuracy,” he added.
Missile launch follows border mine dispute
The North launched the test after South Korea demanded an apology over a mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ.
The blast wounded three South Korean soldiers.
According to Seoul and the US-led United Nations Command, the accident was due to North Korean mines placed on the South Korean side of the border.
North Korea denied responsibility and retaliated with a missile launch.
Pyongyang rejects Seoul’s call for talks
Before the missile launch, South Korea urged the North for talks to ease tensions, with South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung asking Pyongyang to return to dialogue.
Kim Yo-jong, however, rejected the call and described Seoul as “really despicable,” adding that its demand for an apology was “quite ridiculous.”
Kim also warned that North Korea was “ready for everything” if Seoul might try to do something after the mine blast.
The following morning, the missile was launched.
According to Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies, the timing of the circumstances was significant, saying while Seoul asked for easing the tensions, Pyongyang responded with a missile launch.
“The message is that the North is pursuing confrontation in response to good will,” he said.
READ NEXT: Grammys to roll out new ‘Asian Pop’ category despite BTS boycott
Carmela Calling 
Jheruleene Anne Ramos 
Elan Castanares