Emerging Applications and Implications of Artificial Intelligence in North Korea

Abstract

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly through deep learning, is reshaping national security and governance worldwide. Even resource-constrained states like North Korea are leveraging these technologies to enhance control and project influence. This paper examines North Korea's adoption of AI, highlighting how deep learning has enabled more direct and impactful applications than earlier approaches. While North Korea's AI research dates back to the 1990s, recent developments have empowered the regime to use AI for strategic purposes such as counterfeit identity generation and facial recognition-based surveillance. The paper explores the security risks posed by these applications, the regime's motivations, and the limitations it faces due to restricted access to hardware and data. It also considers potential international responses to mitigate these threats. By focusing on North Korea, this analysis contributes to broader discussions on the role of AI in authoritarian resilience and the shifting landscape of global security.