North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the test of an intermediate-range strategic missile that Pyongyang claims was equipped with artificial intelligence technology capable of altering its flight path.

The missile was launched from the Wonsan area on North Korea’s eastern coast on Saturday, October 3, 2026, according to South Korean and North Korean reports.

South Korea’s military said the projectile travelled more than 700 kilometres towards the sea off the country’s eastern coast. Japan also detected the launch and assessed that the object was likely a ballistic missile.

North Korean state media later described the test as part of a drill involving an intermediate-range strategic weapon and said Kim Jong Un personally supervised the exercise.

The North Korean government claimed the missile incorporated artificial intelligence technology that allowed it to modify its flight trajectory at low altitude. Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a senior official in the ruling Workers’ Party, said the technology was designed to make the weapon more difficult to track and intercept.

However, the AI capability has not been independently verified by South Korea or other outside authorities. The claims remain part of North Korea’s description of its weapons programme.

South Korea also rejected the suggestion that the missile could not be intercepted. Its military said the launch had been detected and tracked by South Korean and US forces, indicating that the allies' existing surveillance and defence systems were able to monitor the test.

North Korea said the exercise was intended to train personnel operating what it described as a hypersonic strategic weapon system and to assess the effectiveness and mobility of its strategic deterrent.

According to Reuters, North Korean state media said the missile struck a target roughly 1,000 kilometres away in waters off the country's east coast, while South Korea's military reported that the projectile travelled more than 700 kilometres. The differing figures reflect separate assessments of the launch and its trajectory.

The launch comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea has recently accused North Korea of responsibility for landmine explosions in the Demilitarised Zone that injured South Korean soldiers, while Pyongyang has rejected the accusation.

The latest missile test also adds to a series of weapons launches by North Korea this year. Reuters reported that the country has conducted more than 10 missile tests in 2026 as Pyongyang continues to develop and demonstrate its missile and nuclear capabilities.

Kim's latest appearance at the weapons test also drew attention because his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, was seen alongside him in photographs released by North Korean state media.

Ju Ae, who was first publicly introduced by her father in 2022, has increasingly appeared at major military and state events. South Korean intelligence has previously assessed that she could eventually succeed her father, although North Korea has not formally announced a succession arrangement.

The latest test is likely to attract further attention from South Korea, the United States and Japan as they assess whether North Korea's claims about AI-assisted manoeuvring represent a significant change in its missile capabilities.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia