South Korea to train 500,000 conscripts as drone operators by integrating unmanned systems into basic military service

South Korea's Defense Ministry on June 26 announced mandatory drone-operation training for all conscripts starting in 2026, targeting 500,000 trained operators. The program allocates KRW 20.5 billion for dedicated training infrastructure at military bases. The shift reflects Pyongyang's demonstrated use of one-way attack drones and drone operators supporting Russian forces in Ukraine—evidence that asymmetric aerial warfare has moved from theory to operational reality on the peninsula.