Army chief proposes deploying robots in DMZ in talks with Brunson

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha has called for the deployment of robots and drones for dangerous missions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), saying he raised the idea with the top U.S. commander in Korea, following a land mine explosion that injured three South Korean soldiers last month.

Kim said Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, agreed that unmanned systems could help keep troops out of harm’s way, although both commanders recognized the risks of operating them near the inter-Korean border.

“After the incident, I told Gen. Brunson that sending our personnel into the DMZ involves dangers and difficulties, and that robots and drones should go in instead,” Kim said at an Army policy briefing at the Yangpyeong General Training Ground in Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday.

“He agreed,” Kim said, adding that they also shared the view that the systems must be thoroughly tested before deployment.

On Sept. 21, three South Korean service members were injured when a North Korean anti-personnel land mine exploded during an operation near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the western section of the DMZ. The incident prompted questions about whether quadruped robots, often called robot dogs, could take over some hazardous reconnaissance and search duties.

The Army has been developing manned-unmanned combat capabilities under its Army TIGER+ initiative, which combines soldiers with drones, robotic vehicles and artificial intelligence. Unmanned systems could scout dangerous terrain and identify threats before troops enter an area.

Kim cautioned, however, that the DMZ poses challenges beyond those encountered at ordinary training grounds.

“The DMZ is a very special place. It is subject to armistice arrangements, and there are many dangers and restrictions even in peacetime,” he said.

He acknowledged gaps in the technology and warned that a drone or robot could inadvertently cross the MDL, potentially triggering an unintended incident.

Kim said the Army, the defense ministry, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the United Nations Command were examining how the systems might be used safely.

The commanders agreed that the systems would need thorough testing before deployment, Kim said, adding that such changes would take time.

The Army is also exploring digital replicas of battlefield environments to test how robots and drones could operate in the DMZ and along the heavily fortified border before deploying them in the field.