South Korea Deploys 500,000 Drone Warriors After North Korean Tests

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a series of weapons tests on June 25, 2026, marking the 76th anniversary of the Korean War. The tests featured an upgraded 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a 90km range, 155mm self-propelled howitzer shells with extended range, and tactical ballistic missiles with "special mission" warheads designed to strike South Korean airfields, ports, and power facilities. Kim stated these advancements create a "deadly and destructive offensive posture" intended to make enemies feel constant fear.

In response, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense announced a massive military modernization plan. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back detailed the training of 500,000 "drone warriors" and the production of 60,000 to 110,000 domestically produced drones by 2029. The initiative aims to make unmanned systems a standard personal weapon for individual soldiers, utilizing AI-based swarm systems and loitering munitions while avoiding Chinese components.

President Lee Jae Myung's government is also investing $650 million to develop five defense firms by 2030 and restructuring drone command following the imprisonment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Tensions are further heightened by reports of technology transfers from Russia to Pyongyang and comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that the time had come to prioritize the North Korea issue.