South Korea is developing its drone potential

“Such drones, when used on a large scale, fundamentally change the nature of warfare. North Korea is constantly developing its unmanned capabilities, which poses a growing threat to our military, critical infrastructure, and civilian facilities,” noted Minister of National Defence Ahn Gyu-back.

Importantly, the production of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is to be based exclusively on domestic components, making it independent of foreign supplies. The K-Lucas long-range drone, developed based on the Iranian Shahed-136, is set to enter service with the South Korean military. By 2030, Seoul aims to acquire over 20,000 low-cost reconnaissance devices and develop drone swarm systems controlled by artificial intelligence.

In the case of South Korea, the need to automate the armed forces does not stem solely from a desire for modernisation or to create a counterweight to the forces of its northern neighbour. The country is grappling with one of the most severe demographic crises in the world. According to the World Population Clock, South Korea has the world’s lowest total fertility rate at around 0.75, far below the 2.1 replacement level. The population is now in natural decline, ageing rapidly, and facing severe labour shortages.

State command structures are currently undergoing reorganisation. President Lee Jae-myung’s office has dissolved the existing Drone Operations Command. In its place, an institution subordinate to the Ministry of Defence has been established, which will focus exclusively on armament policy and equipment procurement. Operational tasks, meanwhile, will be decentralised and transferred to the individual branches of the armed forces.

The changes in command structures are a consequence of an incident caused by the previous South Korean president. In October 2024, by decision of President Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korean drones entered North Korean territory. The provocation served as a pretext for declaring martial law, which was revoked after a few hours under pressure from the parliament. Currently, the former president is awaiting the consideration of his appeal against a life sentence for leading a coup d’état. Furthermore, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the decision to send drones toward North Korea.