North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the performance test of suicide attack drones, and stressed the need for prompt full-scale mass production, the North's state media reported Friday.

Kim provided on-site guidance for the tests of various types of suicide attack drones, produced by an affiliated institute of the Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex and related companies, the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency said.

"The suicide attack drones to be used within different striking ranges are to perform a mission to precisely attack any enemy targets on the ground and at sea," the KCNA noted.

The tests involved the drones precisely hitting the targets after flying along various preset tactical routes, it said.

Kim expressed satisfaction with the new drones and underscored the need for promptly going into full-scale mass production, saying drones emerged as "an essential requirement in military aspect nowadays."

"The competition for using drones as the main means of military capabilities ... is being accelerated in the world," he said, highlighting their expanding range of military application, low production cost and simple production lines.

Kim affirmed that his country has "full possibility and potentiality to produce and introduce various types of drones" and would seek the possibility of combining and applying "new and promising tactical methods" as required by modern warfare.

"The Workers' Party of Korea has recently attached importance to the line of perfectly combining unmanned military hardware systems with operational plans," Kim said, underscoring the need for a serial production system as early as possible and go into "full-scale mass production."

The KCNA reported that Kim's latest inspection marks "a landmark occasion" providing momentum for the country's efforts to defend its sovereignty and security, adding that drones are "practical and essential" in strengthening national defense capabilities, and deterring challenges and threats.

North Korea first disclosed a performance test of suicide attack drones in August, which was also overseen by Kim on-site. (Yonhap)