Military Technology
South Korea plans to train entire military as drone operators
As drone warfare reshapes modern combat, South Korea is pivoting toward a comprehensive training program inspired by Ukraine's wartime innovations.
Ars Technica
South Korea is undertaking an ambitious military transformation, aiming to train its entire armed forces as drone operators amid ongoing tensions with North Korea. The initiative reflects growing personnel shortages in the ranks—particularly among noncommissioned and commissioned officers who would oversee such training.
Ukraine's selective approach#
While Ukraine has become the model for military drone integration globally, its strategy diverges from South Korea's universal training ambition. Rather than making every soldier a pilot, Ukraine has instead:
- Deployed specialized drone operator teams embedded with front-line units
- Established an Unmanned Systems Forces military branch to develop doctrine and coordinate strikes
- Built a digital battle management system for real-time battlefield intelligence
- Cultivated homegrown drone manufacturing capable of mass-producing millions annually
Even so, Ukraine has scaled up to train tens of thousands of drone operators—a massive but still targeted effort.
Ripple effects across militaries#
North Korean soldiers returning from Russia after experiencing Ukrainian drone tactics are reportedly rotating home to instruct their own forces, though the substance of their lessons remains unclear.
The U.S., with 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, is following suit: it's integrating drone familiarization and counter-drone training into basic recruit preparation, and the Pentagon has requested $54 billion for drone and counter-drone systems in its 2027 budget.
