South Korea will train half a million drone operators
South Korea has announced a major expansion of its military’s drone capabilities in response to the growing threat from North Korea, which is also actively developing drone technology.
The South Korean Ministry of Defense plans to equip all branches of the armed forces—the army, navy, air force, and marines—with more than 110,000 drones by 2029.
At the same time, the government intends to train approximately 500,000 drone operators, which will effectively turn UAVs into a widespread tool for warfare at all levels.
“Drones should no longer be equipment used by a limited number of units, but rather a universal combat tool,” said Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-bak.
He also emphasized that military personnel should use drones as “a second personal weapon.”
Seoul has announced a policy of completely phasing out Chinese components in new drone systems for security reasons.
Instead, South Korea plans to develop its own drone production, modernize its defense procurement system, and accelerate the integration of civilian technologies into the military sector.
As part of the reform, the military also plans to procure more than 20,000 disposable attack drones, deploy swarm drone systems based on artificial intelligence, expand the use of loitering munitions, and develop laser and microwave systems to counter drones.
Certain units will be granted the authority to conduct reconnaissance and launch drone strikes independently, without strict centralized control.
According to the defense minister, the widespread use of inexpensive drones is changing the nature of modern warfare.
He noted that North Korea is also actively developing unmanned systems, which poses additional risks to both military and civilian infrastructure.
The reform is also influenced by the experience of the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East, and the demographic decline in the number of conscripts in South Korea.
Due to a shortage of personnel, the military is increasingly relying on automation and unmanned technologies.
The reform is taking place against the backdrop of changes in military leadership following a political scandal and the reorganization of the drone command.
At the same time, tensions on the Korean Peninsula are rising: North Korea continues to build up its military capabilities, including its navy and missile systems capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Thus, South Korea is effectively shifting toward a model of widespread “drone-ization” of its military, making unmanned systems a key element of its future defense strategy.
This was reported by Reuters.
As a reminder, South Korea and Ukraine are preparing for talks on the transfer to Seoul of two North Korean prisoners of war who are currently on Ukrainian territory. Discussions on this issue are scheduled to take place during a meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, which is set to take place on June 30.
