Korea to use Saemangeum wetland for anti-drone equipment testing

Police conduct an anti-terrorism exercise with drones in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, Oct. 20. Yonhap

Korea plans to test anti-drone equipment at the Saemangeum wetland in the country's southwestern region, officials said Wednesday, as the country seeks to sharpen response capabilities against rising drone threats.

Under an agreement jointly signed by the science ministry, the arms procurement agency and the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency, the government plans to conduct the tests at the reclaimed land in North Jeolla Province.

The move enables relevant ministries to safely test anti-drone technologies that involve the use of electromagnetic shielding, without breaching the safety and telecommunications rights of the public, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said.

The Saemangeum wetland was created under a state project aimed at developing a total of a 409-square-kilometer reclaimed area by 2050, equivalent to around two-thirds of the capital city of Seoul.