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South Korea to train half a million military personnel to become ‘drone warriors’
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South Korea to train half a million military personnel to become ‘drone warriors’

The Guardian · Jun 26, 2026, 6:04 AM · Also reported by 3 other sources

Key takeaways

  • South Korean military drones fly in formation during a military drill in May 2023.
  • Prefer the Guardian on GoogleAll of South Korea’s military forces will be trained as drone operators in a sweeping overhaul of its warfare strategy, the defence minister has said.
  • “All soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm,” Ahn Gyu-back, who heads the defence ministry in Seoul, said on Friday.

Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.

South Korean military drones fly in formation during a military drill in May 2023. Half a million military personnel are to be trained in how to operate drones. Photograph: Yelim Lee/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen South Korean military drones fly in formation during a military drill in May 2023. Half a million military personnel are to be trained in how to operate drones. Photograph: Yelim Lee/AFP/Getty Images South Korea South Korea to train half a million military personnel to become ‘drone warriors’All branches of the military will be taught how to use technology that has become a ‘game changer on the battlefield’, says defence minister

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleAll of South Korea’s military forces will be trained as drone operators in a sweeping overhaul of its warfare strategy, the defence minister has said.

“All soldiers should be able to use drones like a second personal firearm,” Ahn Gyu-back, who heads the defence ministry in Seoul, said on Friday.

Article preview — originally published by The Guardian. Full story at the source.
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