South Korea To Train 500,000 Drone Warriors As Seoul Ramps Up Defences Against North Korea
South Korea set to train 500,000 drone warriors and deploy thousands of systems against North Korea threats.
South Korea set to train 500,000 drone warriors and deploy thousands of systems against North Korea threats.
South Korea will rapidly expand its drone and counter drone capabilities to counter North Korea, including by training 500,000 “drone warriors” and distributing tens of thousands of unmanned systems across frontline units, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.
Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said the military initially planned to produce 110,000 drones by 2029 for deployment across the army, navy, air force and marines, although the ministry later revised the target to around 60,000 units, with about 11,000 expected to be introduced in 2026.
The ministry said the systems would be issued across military services with the aim of making drones a standard item for individual soldiers.
“Drones should no longer be equipment used by a limited number of units, but a universal combat tool,” Ahn told a briefing, adding they should be used by troops like a “second personal weapon.”
Ahn said Seoul would rely entirely on domestically produced components rather than Chinese parts in building the systems, citing security concerns.
The announcement comes as both Koreas accelerate efforts to strengthen drone capabilities, drawing lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where unmanned systems have emerged as battlefield game changers.
“Low-cost drones operated in large numbers are fundamentally changing the nature of warfare,” Ahn said, warning North Korea was also advancing unmanned systems, increasing threats to military and civilian facilities in the South.
South Korea’s plans include expanding counter drone capabilities such as lasers and high power microwave weapons, while restructuring operations to allow each military service to conduct surveillance and strike missions independently rather than relying on a centralised command.
A senior defence official said the military would also move quickly to acquire more than 20,000 low cost expendable drones and introduce AI based swarm systems and loitering munitions.
The ministry said it would revamp procurement rules to speed up the adoption of civilian technology and position the military as a major buyer to help build a domestic drone ecosystem.
The expansion comes amid political sensitivity over drone operations under the previous administration. A South Korean court this month sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol to 30 years in prison over a military drone incursion into North Korea that prosecutors said was aimed at justifying his 2024 martial law bid.
Current President Lee Jae Myung’s government dismantled the drone operations command following those allegations, with Friday’s plans intended to replace it with a new organisation focused on policy, capability development and support while leaving operations to individual military units.
South Korea is also facing pressure from demographic decline, pushing the military to rely more heavily on automation and unmanned systems to sustain combat capabilities.
