The South Korean government launched an integrated drone and counter-drone task force under the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, holding its inaugural meeting.
The task force held its first meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok following the launch ceremony, according to the government. The body was established to consolidate drone policies previously scattered across various ministries, as drones have gained prominence on battlefields in Ukraine and Iran.
Fourteen government agencies participate in the task force, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Ministry of Science and ICT. The 46-member body comprises 21 government officials and 25 civilian experts from various fields. Yoon Chang-ryeol, head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, serves as chairman, while Park Won-ho, director of the Prime Minister's Office Counter-Terrorism Center, leads the execution team.
"The Russia-Ukraine war has drawn global attention to drones, and they have now become a core strategic element that determines national security and industrial competitiveness," Prime Minister Kim said.
"However, comprehensive discussions covering defense, related industries, technology, and regulations have been virtually insufficient domestically," he added. "R&D, production, manufacturing, utilization, and strategy have all been fragmented."
"A single control tower at the government level is now necessary for drone-related matters," the prime minister emphasized.
Kim noted that "the task force's discussions will serve as a crucial foundation for Korea's future in all aspects of drones and counter-drones, including defense and industry." He added that the body would address "various issues including building an industrial ecosystem, creating clusters for drone and counter-drone systems, and establishing an integrated framework for R&D innovation."
