South Korea announced on June 26, 2026, that it will train 500,000 authorized military personnel across the army, navy, air force, and marines to operate drones as "a second personal firearm" [1, 2, 3]. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said, "All soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm," reflecting a major shift in the country's military training focus [1].
The plan includes acquiring about 11,000 commercial drones for training by the end of 2026, increasing to 60,000 drones by 2029 [1, 3]. For combat purposes, the military will procure more than 20,000 low-cost disposable drones by 2030 to perform reconnaissance and strike missions [1, 3].
South Korea will also deploy counter-drone defense systems starting next year, including laser and high-power microwave weapons to defend against hostile drones [1, 2, 3]. The military is fast-tracking the development and deployment of the domestically produced K-Lucas long-range loitering munition, inspired by the US Lucas drone and reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed-136 drone used by Russia [1, 3].
Minister Ahn noted that recent conflicts, including Ukraine and the Middle East, have shown drones to be decisive on the battlefield. "Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East clearly demonstrate that drones have emerged as game changers on the battlefield," he said [3].
North Korea continues expanding its drone capabilities, posing a growing threat to South Korea's military and critical infrastructure, according to Ahn. "North Korea is also continuing to develop a wide range of unmanned aerial capabilities, posing growing threats not only to South Korean military facilities but also to critical national infrastructure and civilian targets," he said [3].
In 2022, North Korean drones breached South Korean airspace including the no-fly zone over the presidential office, demonstrating gaps in existing defense [1]. South Korea has about 450,000 active military personnel, facing a numerical disadvantage against North Korea’s more than 1.2 million troops [2].
Established in 2023, South Korea’s Drone Operations Command will be reorganized into a new Defence Drone Headquarters to focus on industrial collaboration and procurement [2, 3]. Future plans include developing AI-powered drone swarms and low-cost interceptor drones [3].
South Korea remains technically at war with North Korea since their 1950-53 conflict ended only in armistice, with no peace treaty signed [3]. The government aims to complete the commercial drone procurement by the end of 2026 and expand combat drone numbers by 2030 [1, 3].
