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| South Korean military drones fly during joint drills with the United States at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, in this May 23 photo. The Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday promulgated a decree for the launch of a multipurpose drone operations unit. AP-Yonhap |
Gov't declares decree to create multipurpose UAV command
By Jung Min-ho
The Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday promulgated a decree for the launch of a multipurpose drone operations unit as part of efforts to counter North Korea's evolving air threats and to reinforce the capabilities that have become increasingly critical in modern warfare.
The declaration comes six months after President Yoon Suk Yeol told his military officials to create a command center for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strategies for both offensive and defensive missions.
The unit, which is expected to be established in September, will take direct orders from Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and take on reconnaissance, strike and other roles. Its presence in the military may well expand as its interoperability with other units improve, officials said.
But the location and leader of the unit have not been determined yet.
"We expect the drone operations command to play a key role in joint battlefield domains by carrying out strategic and operational missions systematically and efficiently," the ministry said in a statement.
Pocheon, a city in the northeastern part of Gyeonggi Province, is among the candidates for the command's location. Pocheon is just south of Cheorwon and Hwacheon, two counties bordering the North, and contains military facilities once used by the now-disbanded Republic of Korea Army VI Corps. This means that the command can be set up quickly, given that most facilities can still be serviceable after some repairs and improvement work.
The residents of that region, however, have not been supportive. The city council recently issued a statement criticizing the military for considering the area without asking the opinions of the residents.
Aware of the sensitivity of the issue, Jeon Ha-kyu, a spokesman for the ministry, said nothing has been determined. He also said, even if the military decides to operate the unit there, its location "may not be permanent."
"We will try our best to explain the situation to the residents living near the base, including how we will address their concerns," he said.
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| A Ukrainian soldier looks at the sky searching for a drone on the frontline in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Monday. Russia's war in Ukraine has demonstrated the expanding roles of drones in battlefields. AP-Yonhap |
North Korea's drone infiltrations in December 2022 exposed the South Korean military's vulnerability to such basic weapons, which can carry small yet powerful armaments.
The military has since revealed a series of drone-defense plans, saying it will conduct regular drills, procure drone-jamming guns and build a real-time target intelligence-sharing system.
The military is now expediting efforts to secure UAVs and other essential equipment for operations. It plans to have advanced small-size drones ready by this week. More advanced types, with stealth functions, for example, have been under development.
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the expanding roles of drones in battlefields. The Bayraktar TB2s, armed UAVs made in Turkey, have been among Ukraine's key weapons, particularly for high-risk strike operations and for reconnaissance. Many experts say UAVs have changed the course of the war and the nature of modern warfare.
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