North Korea’s AI development raises concerns, says study
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North Korean scientists have also published research on using AI for maintaining the safety of nuclear reactors.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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SEOUL – North Korea is developing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for everything from how to respond to Covid-19 and safeguard nuclear reactors to war-gaming simulations and government surveillance, according to a new study.
International sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons programme may have hindered North Korea’s attempts to secure AI hardware, but it appears to be pursuing the latest technology, wrote study author Kim Hyuk of the James Martin Centre for Non-proliferation Studies in California.
“North Korea’s recent endeavours in AI/ML development signify a strategic investment to bolster its digital economy,” Mr Kim wrote in the report, which cited open-source information including state media and journals.
The report was published on Jan 23 by the 38 North project and found that some of North Korea’s AI researchers have collaborated with foreign scholars, including in China.
Seoul’s spy agency on Jan 24 said it detected signs that North Korean hackers had used generative AI to search for targets and seek technologies needed for hacking, though it appears they have yet to use it in actual cyber attacks.
The National Intelligence Service said it was closely monitoring the situation.
North Korea established the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute in 2013 and several companies have promoted commercial products featuring AI in recent years, the report said.
Communications technology is heavily restricted and monitored in the authoritarian North.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, North Korea used AI to create a model for evaluating proper mask usage and prioritising clinical symptom indicators of infection, Mr Kim said in the report.
North Korean scientists have also published research on using AI for maintaining the safety of nuclear reactors, the report added.
The UN nuclear watchdog and independent experts said in December 2023 that a new reactor at North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex appears to be operating for the first time, which would mean another potential source of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
The AI development presents many challenges, Mr Kim wrote.
He added: “For instance, North Korea’s pursuit of a war-gaming simulation program using (machine learning) reveals intentions to better comprehend operational environments against potential adversaries.
“Furthermore, North Korea’s ongoing collaborations with foreign scholars pose concerns for the sanctions regime.” REUTERS
