South Korea to disband Drone Operations Command

If the Ministry of National Defense accepts recommendations released on Jan. 20 by the Future Strategy Subcommittee under the Civilian, Government and Military Joint Special Advisory Committee, the Drone Operations Command is expected to begin disbandment procedures just over two years after its establishment. The recommendations also call for the creation of a Joint Operations Command to prepare for the transfer of wartime operational control, raising expectations that the current administration will move to restructure the military command system as the transition of operational authority approaches.

● Drone Operations Command disbandment planned

The subcommittee recommended disbanding the Drone Operations Command, citing inefficiencies stemming from overlapping roles among military branches. It urged the ministry to pursue an integrated approach to developing drone combat capabilities.

The command was established in September 2023 under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration in response to North Korean drone threats. Its missions included defending against drones that violated South Korean airspace, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, and carrying out precision strikes. The subcommittee concluded that these functions could be effectively managed by existing functional commands responsible for planning and capability development, rendering a standalone command unnecessary.

Some military analysts view the recommendation to dismantle the command as connected to planning for martial law. In October 2024, one month before martial law was considered, a drone affiliated with the command infiltrated Pyongyang. The military has recently determined that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former President Yoon were allegedly involved in planning the operation to create justification for a potential declaration of martial law.

Concerns have been raised that disbanding the Drone Operations Command could slow the development of drone capabilities, doctrines, and operational readiness that are increasingly critical in modern and future warfare. Kim Jeong-seop, the subcommittee chair and senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, said, “Instead of maintaining the command, we recommended establishing a separate center to oversee strategic tasks such as capability development, doctrinal advancement, and force organization, excluding direct drone operations.”

● Joint Operations Command recommended for wartime control transition

The subcommittee also recommended establishing a Joint Operations Command to prepare for the transfer of wartime operational control. Under the current structure, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff holds operational command in peacetime, while wartime operational command rests with the commander of the Combined Forces Command. This arrangement creates a dual command system, even though South Korea leads operations in both peacetime and wartime.

To streamline command, the subcommittee proposed that the Joint Operations Command commander concurrently serve as the Combined Forces Command commander after the transfer of operational control. The advisory group said the move would unify the command structure and strengthen continuity in operational command during both peacetime and wartime.

Under the proposal, the Joint Chiefs of Staff would transfer operational responsibilities to the Joint Operations Command and focus on military strategy and force development. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would concentrate on providing strategic advice to the president and the defense minister. The subcommittee also recommended introducing a career-based professional soldier system to reinforce standing forces.

● Legal safeguards and limits on martial law authority

The advisory committee’s subcommittee on constitutional values recommended clearly codifying the right to refuse illegal orders in the Military Service Act. They proposed providing criteria for soldiers to determine what constitutes an illegal order and emphasized that soldiers who refuse illegal orders should not face punishment for insubordination.

The panel also suggested revising ambiguous conditions in the Martial Law Act, such as “equivalent emergencies,” and limiting the martial law commander’s authority over administrative and judicial matters to prevent abuse of power during a martial law declaration. A Defense Ministry official said, “We plan to review the feasibility of each recommendation and incorporate them into medium- and long-term defense reform plans.”


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com