Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a joint offensive drill featuring new main battle tanks equipped with an "active protection system," stating that ground troops will be extensively equipped with the tank, state media reported. The drill, conducted at the Pyongyang Training Base No. 60 under the Capital City Defence Corps of the Korean People's Army, showcased coordination between infantrymen's and tankmen's sub-units.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the exercise involved tests of the tank's active protection system, which successfully intercepted anti-tank missiles and drones from diverse positions and directions. Kim praised the tank's striking power, mobility, and self-defense capabilities. Emphasizing the tank's survivability, he highlighted its self-defensive complex that can detect threats from all directions and strike with precision.
Kim noted a significant enhancement in the armored forces' night combat capabilities, stating that the ground forces will be equipped with these advanced tanks extensively. He also urged improvements in the tank's performance to align with modern warfare developments and called for rapid success in war preparations across army units.
North Korea's state media released photos showing Kim's daughter, Ju-ae, riding in a tank with him, marking her recent appearance at a military event. The drill aimed at familiarizing tactical subunits with coordinated combat methods to improve their attack capabilities against enemy defenses.
During the drill, drones targeted the enemy's command post using real-time reconnaissance data, while anti-tank missiles from an armored car subunit hit targets. Rear strike subunits destroyed enemy drones and helicopters before occupying the enemy's defense line, enabling tanks and infantrymen to launch attacks.
The exercise occurred on the last day of this year's 11-day Freedom Shield, an annual joint exercise between South Korea and the United States, which North Korea criticizes as a war rehearsal. The battle tank demonstrated appears to be the Chonma-20, first unveiled at a military parade in October last year.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, suggested the drill may reflect lessons learned from North Korea's involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting the pivotal role of drones in ground battles.