South Korea to train 500,000 troops as drone operators

South Korea will train 500,000 authorized military personnel across the army, navy, air force and marines to operate drones. Defense ministry officials said every soldier should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm. The plan calls for training all forces as drone operators as part of a broader shift in warfare strategy.

Training and procurement targets Officials plan to buy about 11,000 commercial drones for training by the end of this year, increasing to 60,000 by 2029. The military also intends to acquire more than 20,000 low-cost disposable combat drones by 2030.

The ministry will accelerate development of a domestically produced long-range loitering munition called K-Lucas. Counter-drone systems such as lasers and high-power microwave weapons will also be expanded.

Background and regional context Officials pointed to drone use in Ukraine and the Middle East as evidence that low-cost drones in large numbers are changing warfare. They also cited North Korean drone development and a 2022 incident in which five North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace, one reaching the no-fly zone above the presidential office.

North Korea announced on Friday that its leader had overseen tests of tactical ballistic missiles and an upgraded rocket artillery system with a 90-kilometer range. The country has said it will expand its nuclear arsenal at an exponential rate.