Defense Official Says Seoul to Develop Drones to Counter North Korea

A South Korean defense official confirmed on Sunday reports that Seoul planned to develop a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), adding that they would be made to counter North Korea's long-range artillery and mobile missile systems, local media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In November, media reports appeared saying that South Korea was planning to develop unmanned aircraft by 2017 to patrol the demilitarized zone separating the country from North Korea. The drones were reportedly expected to significantly reduce cases of soldiers wounded by mines.

"The stealth UAV will directly strike large objects, such as long-range missiles and mobile missile systems," the official said.

According to him, in order to handle smaller targets, the UAV “will deploy several submunition rounds that can independently identify and attack them."

The development is part of the research projects to be conducted by the South Korean military by the end of 2016, the unnamed official said, as cited by the Yonhap News Agency. The initial research phase is expected to cost 380 million won ($327,000), the media said, citing the official. Once the initial research phase is over, applied research will be conducted from 2017 to 2019, according to the media.

In spite of their long-standing armistice, South and North Korea remain legally at war, as no peace treaty was signed after the 1950-1953 Korean War.

In late October, South Korean President Park Geun-hye announced that she would increase military spending to counter the possibility of North Korean hostilities.