S. Korea signs deal to buy drones from Poland, to counter N. Korea's suicide drone threats

군, 폴란드산 자폭 드론 구매… 연내 육군•드론사에 실전배치

South Korea has signed a deal to buy hundreds of military-use drones from Poland, the same type of weapons that were actually used in the Ukraine war.
This appears to be part of the country's efforts to counter evolving threats from North Korea after the regime recently unveiled its suicide drones.
Our correspondent Bae Eun-ji explains more.

A drone falls from the sky and destroys a tank.
This is a still image North Korea released in August saying that it had tested its so-called "suicide drones."
The regime's leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test, as drones took off and destroyed test targets, including a mock tank.
The North's state media said Kim urged researchers to develop artificial intelligence for unmanned vehicles.

"He emphasized that we must actively adopt technology and equip the Korean People's Army units with these technologies as soon as possible."

To respond to these threats, South Korea on Wednesday announced that it has signed a deal with Poland to buy the country's "Warmate" drones.
Developed by WB Electronics, Warmate loitering munitions are equipped with a high-explosive warhead, can remain airborne for up to 70 minutes and fly at a maximum speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour when carrying out an attack.
Warmate drones have actually been used in the Ukraine war, as they were provided by Poland to help destroy Russian armored vehicles.
A South Korean defense ministry official explained that the military and relevant authorities have thoroughly checked the drone's capabilities, adding that the quality has already been verified through their use in the Ukraine war.
The defense ministry did not elaborate further on the deal, but it will reportedly involve the purchase of around 200, worth more than 10 million U.S. dollars.
They will be sent to South Korea starting next month, and will be deployed to combat units before the end of this year.
Also on Wednesday, South Korea's defense minister Kim Yong-hyun met Poland's vice defense minister and agreed to closely communicate to continue defense and arms cooperation.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, Poland has bought a number of South Korean weapons systems, including K9 howitzers, K2 tanks, FA-50 fighters and Chunmoo multiple-rocket launch systems.
As drones continue to change modern warfare, both Koreas are working to prepare for future conflicts.
Bae Eun-ji, Arirang News.

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2024-10-02, 18:00 (KST)