South Korea develops robots to search underground facilities in North Korea

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has revealed plans to develop an advanced bomb disposal robot that can clear a path across the inter-Korean demilitarized zone.

DAPA plans to develop and manufacture the robot by 2019 and then begin mass production, Yonhap reported on December 8. DAPA has signed a $6.9 million contract with a South Korean contractor for the project.

Model of Korea's advanced bomb disposal robot.

In peacetime, the new robot will be used primarily for counterterrorism operations, such as detecting and defusing explosives. In wartime, it will be used to clear obstacles, clear paths across the inter-Korean demilitarized zone, and search underground enemy facilities.

A few days earlier, South Korea also revealed plans to create a team of “flying” robots with the mission of attacking important targets in North Korea such as nuclear testing sites and missile launch sites. In case of crisis, these robots will be mobilized to carry out attacks.

According to Thanhnien