North Korea has conducted a test launch of a new high-speed torpedo system in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, state media reported on Tuesday. The trial, carried out on Monday, comes as Pyongyang continues to bolster its naval forces amid heightened security tensions across the Korean peninsula. According to official reports, the newly developed weapon is scheduled to formally enter service with the North Korean navy in early 2027.
The Monday test was conducted to verify the operational effectiveness of the military hardware. The Academy of Defence Sciences, the Missile Administration, and the Torpedo Weapon Research Bureau jointly confirmed the performance of the high-speed torpedo system. Official statements described the trial as part of the obligatory activities of defense scientific research institutes aimed at placing weapon system technology on a highly developed foundation. Detailed specifications, launch platforms, and specific range capabilities of the new torpedo were not publicly disclosed.
This latest weapons test forms part of a broader push by Pyongyang to expand its maritime capabilities and underwater strike power. In recent weeks, the nuclear-armed nation has trialled several new weapon systems, including attack drones, an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, and another precision-guided torpedo platform.
Last month, North Korea separately announced a test of the Zam-2.0, a "super-speed" precision-guided torpedo that state media claimed incorporates artificial intelligence for target detection and guidance. That trial verified technologies intended to enhance rocket propulsion and propulsion efficiency following more than 180 tests over a five-year development period. While traditional torpedoes are designed to strike underwater targets at high speed, defense analysts note that integrating artificial intelligence could enable such weapons to execute autonomous decisions and evasive manoeuvres to bypass adversary defenses.
The push to strengthen underwater strike systems coincides with broader naval expansion efforts. Last year, North Korea unveiled a 5,000-tonne destroyer, during which leader Kim Jong-un stated that a variety of new surface and torpedo weapon systems were under active development for the country's military.
