S. Korea Army to Standardize Drones as Core Soldier Weapons
Seoul plans to adopt unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as standard equipment for Republic of Korea Army warfighters, expanding drone use across combat roles and units.
The service will field drones from company level to operational commands without launching a separate branch, with troops across infantry, armor, and artillery gaining qualifications as part of routine operations, according to local media.
The military is also moving beyond surveillance roles, with plans to field reconnaissance and attack systems, including battalion-level kamikaze drones, and eventually combine multiple functions into a single airframe.
“We intend to define drones as a concept similar to personal firearms in the future,” Yonhap News Agency quoted Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Gyu-ha during a briefing at the Republic of Korea Army headquarters in Gyeryongdae.
“We will ensure they can be operated freely, just like personal firearms that all combatants possess.”
Kim added that the UAS deployments will align with “strategic and tactical objectives” at each level while stressing the need for a doctrine tailored to local conditions, noting that “drone operations in Russia, Ukraine, and Iran are very different from the situation on the Korean Peninsula.”
The push supports a 2025 Ministry of Defense strategy to train “500,000 Drone Warriors,” backed by approximately 25 billion won ($17.2 million) in 2026 funding.
Under that scheme, the army aims to field more than 50,000 UAS for preparatory efforts by 2029, or about one per squad, with roughly 10,000 to be introduced later this year.
