Defense ministry launches new drone headquarters to bolster unmanned capabilities amid N.K. threats

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SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry launched a new drone headquarters Monday, aiming to bolster unmanned aerial systems and counter-drone capabilities amid North Korea's evolving drone threats, officials said.

The launch ceremony took place at the Defense Drone Headquarters in Pocheon, about 40 kilometers north of Seoul, attended by Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee and other military officials, the ministry said.

The new headquarters replaces the existing Drone Operations Command as a "drone control tower" to establish drone and counter-drone strategies and handle the development of drone and anti-drone systems across all armed services, it said.

The existing drone command had focused primarily on executing drone operations.

The launch of the new drone headquarters came as a follow-up measure to the comprehensive unmanned systems development policy announced in June, designed to bolster South Korea's unmanned defense capabilities as drones emerge as a "game changer" on the modern battlefield.

North Korea is accelerating its drone development, drawing on lessons from its troop deployment in Russia's war against Ukraine. The North recently conducted weapons tests last week that simulated mass drone strikes targeting mock South Korean military guard posts and U.S. tanks.

"We take North Korea's advancing drone capabilities and related threats very seriously, although evaluating drone power requires looking beyond mere performance to fully consider detection, identification, tracking and countermeasure systems," the ministry said.

With the launch of the new headquarters, individual service branches will take on drone and counter-drone combat and strike roles, while the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) will coordinate overall operations.

The new headquarters will also be responsible for facilitating a more swift acquisition of drones and counter-drone assets in coordination with the country's state arms agency.

Spy drones operate during a joint live-fire drill in Pocheon, about 40 kilometers north of Seoul, in this file photo from May 28, 2026. (Yonhap)

South Korea is introducing a fast-track certification system, akin to the U.S. Blue Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), to preapprove commercial drones and related equipment, enabling the military to purchase ready-made systems quickly without traditional procurement delays.

Seoul is also focusing on the localization of drones and their components, such as batteries and motors, to reduce reliance on China.

"We are working to secure supply chains with allies and partners, including the United States," a ministry official told reporters in a background briefing Friday.

The ministry said the military plans to rapidly acquire over 20,000 low-cost, expendable combat drones and accelerate the deployment of the Korean Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (K-LUCAS) program.

K-LUCAS is a military initiative to domestically develop long-range loitering munitions, including suicide drones.

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

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Defense ministry launches new drone headquarters to bolster unmanned capabilities amid N.K. threats

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，11月2日（韩联社）——韩国国防部官员周一表示，国防部成立了一个新的无人机总部，旨在加强无人机系统和反无人机能力，以应对朝鲜不断演变的无人机威胁。

国防部表示，发射仪式在位于首尔以北约 40 公里抱川的国防无人机总部举行，国防部副部长李斗熙和其他军方官员出席了仪式。

声明称，新的总部将取代现有的无人机作战司令部，成为“无人机控制塔”，负责制定无人机和反无人机战略，并处理所有武装部队的无人机和反无人机系统的发展。

现有的无人机指挥部主要专注于执行无人机作战行动。

新无人机总部的启用是继6月份宣布的全面无人系统发展政策之后的一项后续措施，旨在加强韩国的无人防御能力，因为无人机正在成为现代战场上的“游戏规则改变者”。

朝鲜正加速发展无人机，并从其在俄罗斯对乌克兰战争中部署军队的经验中汲取教训。朝鲜上周进行了武器试验，模拟大规模无人机袭击，目标包括模拟的韩国军事哨所和美军坦克。

“我们非常重视朝鲜不断提升的无人机能力及其相关威胁，尽管评估无人机实力需要超越单纯的性能，全面考虑探测、识别、跟踪和对抗系统，”该部表示。

随着新总部的启用，各军种将承担无人机和反无人机作战及打击任务，而参谋长联席会议（JCS）将协调整体行动。

新总部还将负责与国家武器局协调，加快获取无人机和反无人机资产。

这张摄于2026年5月28日的资料照片显示，在首尔以北约40公里的抱川市，间谍无人机正在参加联合实弹演习。（韩联社）

韩国正在引入类似于美国“蓝色无人机系统”（UAS）的快速认证体系，以预先批准商用无人机及相关设备，使军方能够快速购买现成的系统，而无需经历传统的采购延误。

首尔也在致力于无人机及其零部件（如电池和电机）的本地化生产，以减少对中国的依赖。

“我们正在与包括美国在内的盟友和伙伴合作，确保供应链安全，”一位国防部官员周五在一次背景简报会上告诉记者。

该部表示，军方计划迅速采购超过 20,000 架低成本、一次性作战无人机，并加快韩国低成本无人作战攻击系统 (K-LUCAS) 项目的部署。

K-LUCAS 是一项旨在自主研发远程巡飞弹（包括自杀式无人机）的军事计划。

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

（导语）朝鲜在武器演示中展示“狙击手”火箭筒

（第三条）在韩国提出对话提议后，朝鲜发射了近十枚弹道导弹

海军计划在2040年代初期建立一支有人/无人混合舰队，以应对朝鲜的威胁。

陆军在未来战争场景下开展涉及无人作战系统的训练

国防部成立新的无人机总部，以应对朝鲜威胁，加强无人作战能力。