South Korea intends to train every one of its nearly 450,000 active-duty military personnel to operate drones as easily as they handle personal firearms. The announcement came during a June 26 briefing by South Korea's Minister of National Defense, Ahn Gyu-back, and was reported by Reuters and other outlets.
The goal is to make drones a "universal combat tool" for all troops, Ahn said, training them to use drones like a "second personal weapon." The plan also includes equipping individual military units with more cheap and expendable drones for both surveillance and strike missions, along with deploying additional counter-drone lasers and microwave weapons.
According to a report by Ars Technica, South Korea's former drone operations command headquarters, which previously held direct command authority over combat units, will be reorganized. Its new focus will be collaborating with South Korean industry on developing and procuring commercial drone technology. The defense minister specifically cited the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as the inspiration for these military reforms.
Ukraine's use of drones as a force multiplier carries particular weight for South Korea. South Korea's 450,000 active-duty personnel face a significant numerical gap against North Korea's active-duty military, which consists of more than 1.2 million soldiers. That imbalance mirrors Ukraine's situation against Russia, where cheap and plentiful drones have helped offset the difference in troop numbers.
South Korea is not alone in looking to Ukraine's example. Many countries have moved to expand their drone programs in response to how the conflict has played out on the battlefield. But the parallels to South Korea's own 70-year border standoff with North Korea give the reforms a specific urgency that goes beyond general military modernization.
The country is also backing the expansion financially. According to UPI, South Korea plans to establish a $6.5 billion fund directed at security technology firms, a move that aligns with the broader push to develop domestic drone and defense technology capability.
The reorganization of the former drone command and the new investment fund both point to a longer-term strategy, not just a training initiative. South Korea appears to be positioning itself to build, buy, and operate drone technology at scale across every level of its military.
