South Korea plans to train half a million military personnel across all branches to become drone operators, in a major overhaul of its warfare strategy. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back announced on Friday that all soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm. The initiative will train 500,000 authorised personnel across the army, navy, air force and marines as 'drone warriors'.
Drones as a Gamechanger
Ahn said wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown that drones are now a 'gamechanger on the battlefield'. 'Low-cost drones operated in large numbers are fundamentally changing the nature of warfare,' he stated. He warned that North Korea continues to develop its weapons capabilities, increasing threats to military and civilian facilities in the South.
Procurement and Development Plans
The military plans to procure about 11,000 commercial drones for training by the end of this year, rising to 60,000 by 2029. It also aims to acquire more than 20,000 low-cost disposable combat drones by 2030. Seoul said it would fast-track a domestically developed long-range loitering munition called K-Lucas, named after the American Lucas drone, which is reverse-engineered from Iran's Shahed-136 suicide drone used by Russia in Ukraine.
Counter-Drone Systems
South Korea's plan includes expanding counter-drone systems such as laser and high-power microwave weapons. The announcement follows a 2022 incident where five small North Korean drones breached South Korean airspace, with one entering the no-fly zone above the presidential office. The military scrambled jets and attack helicopters and fired about 100 shots but failed to down a single drone.
North Korea's Growing Capabilities
North Korea's drone capabilities have grown considerably, partly through its deepening military partnership with Russia. Analysts say this has given Pyongyang access to battlefield data and tactics it would otherwise have taken years to develop. Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, giving its military direct exposure to drone warfare at scale.
On Friday, North Korea announced that leader Kim Jong-un oversaw tests of tactical ballistic missiles and an upgraded rocket artillery system with a range of 90km, in efforts to bolster firepower along its southern border. Kim has pledged to expand North Korea's nuclear arsenal at an 'exponential rate', describing nuclear expansion as the 'most correct and unique way' to confront an increasingly unstable world.
