South Korea to buy 20,000 drones, train 500,000 troops

South Korea announced a major expansion of its military drone and counter-drone capabilities on Friday, June 26, 2026, unveiling a plan to acquire more than 20,000 low-cost drones and train 500,000 personnel in their use. The initiative, detailed by Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, is a direct response to North Korea's growing unmanned aerial capabilities and lessons drawn from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Minister Ahn stated that the widespread deployment of inexpensive drones has fundamentally reshaped modern warfare, calling them "game changers" on the battlefield. He cited North Korea's development of a wide range of unmanned systems as a growing threat to South Korean military facilities, critical national infrastructure, and civilian targets. The plan aims to make drones "a second personal weapon" for all soldiers, transforming them from specialized equipment into a universal combat tool.

The procurement strategy includes acquiring over 20,000 low-cost, expendable drones-including short-range reconnaissance models and small attack drones known as loitering munitions-by 2030. The military will also accelerate deployment of the domestically developed Korean...