South Korea to Make Drone Training Mandatory for All Conscripts by 2026

South Korea's Defense Ministry announced on June 26 that all military recruits will train as drone operators starting in 2026, targeting 500,000 operators. The KRW 20.5 billion investment builds training infrastructure at bases. The shift responds to North Korea's operational use of attack drones and drone crews supporting Russian operations in Ukraine—proof that unmanned aerial warfare has become tactically real on the peninsula.