Korea's defense ministry freezes drone procurement over performance concerns

An unmanned aerial vehicle discovered in Pyongyang in this photo released by North Korea's state media on Oct. 19, 2024. Yonhap

The Ministry of National Defense has decided to temporarily suspend spending on a budget allocated for additional drone purchases, after it emerged that the country’s Drone Operations Command had sought to acquire two dozen drones that have been widely criticized for poor performance.

According to data the command submitted to Rep. Boo Seung-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, the unit set aside 1.34 billion won ($914,000) this year to purchase 24 small reconnaissance drones.

The drone is a domestically developed model unveiled in 2023 by the Agency for Defense Development as part of an in-house research initiative. Within six months, the agency had produced 100 drones, each costing about 30 million won.

The model is the same type of drone the command deployed to Pyongyang in October 2024 as part of a controversial infiltration operation, during the presidency of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative leader who favored a hard-line deterrence policy toward North Korea over engagement.

However, because the program prioritized low-cost mass production, the drone has faced persistent criticism over significant performance shortcomings, including excessive noise and the inability to track its location.

Following test flights, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) also raised concerns. In an internal report, DAPA warned that the drone’s large radar cross-section increases the likelihood of detection by enemy radar systems and flagged its loud flight noise as a further operational weakness.

Last year, the unit earmarked 534 million won for the same procurement plan, but later withdrew the request after the Defense Acquisition Program Administration called for improvements to address shortcomings in noise levels and detectability. Despite those unresolved concerns, a larger budget was set aside this year, without clear evidence that the performance issues had been resolved.

Boo criticized the plan. “The additional acquisition of small reconnaissance drones that have shown no value as reconnaissance assets must be completely halted," he said. He added that drone assets introduced hastily without proper evaluation under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration require a comprehensive review.

Following media reports questioning the expanded allocation, the defense ministry said Tuesday it would temporarily suspend the execution of this year’s related budget.

“Once adjustments to the command’s missions or functions are completed, the ministry will reassess the necessity of the drone project,” defense ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said during a regular briefing. “The budget will be reallocated to operational units and used to procure equipment that meets actual mission requirements.”