AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Kim Hee-su
Kim Hee-su김희수
ReporterMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul City Hall & Defense, Foreign Affairs
Kim Hee-su is a bilingual reporter at AJU Press, covering defense and foreign affairs. Before joining AJP in 2025, she worked at The Korea Times, where she wrote interview stories, including a profile of North Korean defector Kim Gum-hyok, and produced digital content. She also previously worked as a researcher for KBS News 9’s International News Department, supporting correspondents in 10 countries around the world. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada with a double major in Book and Media Studies and East Asian Studies. "I'm driven by storytelling."
Latest by Kim Hee-su
  • Hanwha bids $1.2 billion for Austal USA to boost US shipbuilding
    Hanwha bids $1.2 billion for Austal USA to boost US shipbuilding SEOUL, August 11 (AJP) - Hanwha Group is seeking to acquire the U.S. operations of Australian shipbuilder and defense contractor Austal, stepping up efforts to expand its shipbuilding and defense presence in the United States. Hanwha has proposed acquiring 100 percent of the businesses and operating assets of Austal USA at an enterprise value of between $1.05 billion and $1.2 billion on a cash-free, debt-free basis. The move comes after Hanwha built a 19.9 percent stake in Austal Ltd., the Australian-listed parent company, and would give the Korean conglomerate direct control of another major U.S. shipbuilding base alongside its existing Philly Shipyard. According to industry sources Tuesday, Hanwha Defense USA submitted a nonbinding and conditional proposal to acquire Austal's U.S. operations. The proposal does not involve the acquisition of Austal as a whole. Its businesses in Australia, the Philippines and Vietnam would remain outside the transaction. The final purchase price would be determined following due diligence, negotiations on definitive agreements and regulatory reviews. Hanwha is expected to conduct due diligence for about four weeks. The proposal is subject to a series of U.S. regulatory approvals, including reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and antitrust clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Hanwha also plans to consult with key U.S. government customers, including the Department of Defense, Navy and Coast Guard, before submitting a more definitive proposal. If completed, the deal would give Hanwha two major U.S. shipbuilding hubs: Philly Shipyard on the East Coast and Austal USA's yard in Mobile, Alabama. Austal USA builds vessels for the Pentagon, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and has produced Littoral Combat Ships, Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels, Coast Guard cutters and other auxiliary ships. It also participates in the production of modules for U.S. nuclear-powered submarines. The company would therefore provide Hanwha with a stronger foothold as it seeks to enter the U.S. Navy's newbuild and maintenance, repair and overhaul markets and expand cooperation between Austal USA and Philly Shipyard. Hanwha's pursuit of Austal dates back several years. In 2024, Hanwha initially sought to acquire Austal in its entirety but abandoned the plan amid regulatory hurdles involving national security reviews in the United States and Australia. It shifted its strategy in 2025 to gradually building a stake in the Australian parent company. Hanwha first acquired a 9.9 percent stake in Austal in 2025 and later received approval from the Australian government in December that year to raise its holding to 19.9 percent. The latest proposal marks a further refinement of that strategy, focusing specifically on Austal USA, a key production base for U.S. naval vessels, while excluding Austal's operations in Australia and other markets. "We have made a nonbinding preliminary proposal to acquire Austal's U.S. business," a Hanwha Defense USA official said. "Any transaction will be determined based on the results of due diligence." "Hanwha's top priority is to make a meaningful contribution to the revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry," the official added. "We are exploring a range of opportunities to expand our business in the United States." AJP Takeaways △ Hanwha has offered up to $1.2 billion to acquire Austal USA. △ The deal would add a second major U.S. shipbuilding base alongside Philly Shipyard. △ Hanwha is targeting deeper access to U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and defense programs. 2026-08-11 16:59:43
  • Military to relocate Gwangju Air Base operations by 2028 for semiconductor cluster
    Military to relocate Gwangju Air Base operations by 2028 for semiconductor cluster SEOUL, August 11 (AJP) - South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it will push to temporarily relocate military operations from Gwangju Air Base to other bases by mid-2028, clearing the way for the site to be developed as part of a major semiconductor cluster. “Consultations have continued throughout the process at various levels, including involving the defense minister, vice minister and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” the Defense Ministry spokesperson said during a regular briefing Tuesday, adding that the ministry would actively review and pursue plans to temporarily relocate operations at Gwangju Air Base by mid-2028. The move follows an order from President Lee Jae Myung on Monday to accelerate preparations for the Honam semiconductor cluster, one of the government's three major regional industrial projects. "The Defense Ministry plans to actively cooperate with the government's policy to strengthen the competitiveness of the semiconductor industry while minimizing the impact of the temporary relocation of Gwangju Air Base on national security and military readiness," the ministry said in response to a media inquiry. During a public-private meeting on Monday, Lee instructed the ministry to temporarily transfer Gwangju's military operations to other air bases by mid-2028 so that the site can be put to early use as a semiconductor industrial complex. Lee stressed that speed would be critical to the government's regional industrial strategy, calling for administrative procedures and infrastructure development to be carried out simultaneously. "I hope the Honam semiconductor cluster will be implemented as quickly as Kumamoto in Japan," Lee said, referring to the Japanese region that has emerged as a major semiconductor manufacturing hub. He also called for construction to begin on land near the military airport even before the relocation is completed, while urging authorities to prepare power and water supplies and accelerate necessary legislative changes. The relocation, however, will require coordination with the United States because Gwangju Air Base is one of the South Korea-U.S. military's Collocated Operating Bases (COBs) where U.S. air assets can deploy during contingencies. Parts of the base have also been provided to U.S. Forces Korea, meaning the return of those areas will require consultations between the two countries. The Defense Ministry said it would work closely with relevant agencies and the U.S. side "to ensure the prompt return of land provided to U.S. forces." Gwangju Air Base is home to the Republic of Korea Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing, which is responsible for advanced flight training for fighter pilots as well as air defense missions over southwestern South Korea. The base operates aircraft including the T-50 advanced trainer and the domestically developed TA-50 Block 2 light combat aircraft. The military is reportedly considering dispersing three squadrons under the 1st Fighter Wing to three other Air Force bases - the 16th Fighter Wing in Yecheon, the 20th Fighter Wing in Seosan and the 19th Fighter Wing in Chungju. The Gwangju project forms part of Lee's broader push to develop three regional "mega-projects" centered on Honam, Yeongnam and Chungcheong as the government seeks to shift more high-tech investment outside the Seoul metropolitan area. 2026-08-11 11:28:41
  • Hanwha raises KAI stake above 15%, weighs greater role
    Hanwha raises KAI stake above 15%, weighs greater role SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - Hanwha Group has raised its combined stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to more than 15 percent, strengthening its position as the defense aircraft maker's second-largest shareholder and signaling deeper involvement in its strategic decision-making. Hanwha Systems said Monday it purchased an additional 3.45 percent stake in KAI on the open market over the past month. The purchases lifted Hanwha Group's combined ownership of KAI to 15.89 percent, including 9.90 percent held by Hanwha Aerospace, 4.98 percent by Hanwha Systems and 1.01 percent by Hanwha Aerospace USA. The move comes about a month after Hanwha disclosed a 12.44 percent stake in KAI on July 8 and announced that Hanwha Systems planned to purchase up to 500 billion won ($352 million) worth of additional shares by the end of the year. With its stake now exceeding 15 percent in the listed company, Hanwha plans to seek a merger review from the Korea Fair Trade Commission. KAI's largest shareholder remains the state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea, which holds a 26.41 percent stake. The rapid buildup of its stake has fueled speculation that Hanwha could eventually seek to acquire KAI if the government moves to privatize the aerospace company. A potential combination would bring together complementary aerospace and defense capabilities. Hanwha has expertise in aircraft engines, guided weapons, radar, satellites and land and naval defense systems, while KAI specializes in the development and integration of fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned aircraft. The expansion of its KAI stake also comes as Hanwha seeks to build a broader aerospace and defense ecosystem as part of its ambition to become what it describes as a Korean counterpart to SpaceX. Hanwha Group recently unveiled a long-term strategy to invest 55 trillion won through 2040 in a push to make South Korea a global leader in artificial intelligence and space technologies. "South Korea can no longer view space and aviation as separate industries," Hanwha Group Senior Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan said during the unveiling of the strategy in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, in July. "When space and aviation, AI and defense are connected as one, the country can truly emerge as an AI and space powerhouse." Hanwha also plans to promote the development of a southern aerospace industrial belt linking Changwon, home to Hanwha Aerospace, Sacheon, where KAI is based, and Goheung, home to the Naro Space Center. 2026-08-10 17:56:30
  • UFS puts S. Koreas OPCON transfer push to the test
    UFS puts S. Korea's OPCON transfer push to the test SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - South Korea and the United States will stage their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise from Aug. 17 to 27 in what will double as a test of Seoul’s push to advance the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) even as questions remain over whether a Korean-led command is ready for the full demands of war. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command announced the schedule during a joint briefing Monday, describing UFS as a defensive exercise aimed at strengthening the allies’ combined defense posture. About 18,000 South Korean troops will take part, roughly in line with previous years. The allies said this year’s scenario incorporates lessons from recent wars and will test combined and joint all-domain operations, including responses to cyberattacks and drones. The exercise will also advance preparations for the conditions-based OPCON transition. “It is a reality that North Korean military capabilities are changing after its forces were deployed to the war in Ukraine,” Ryan Donald, a public affairs officer for U.S. Forces Korea, said. “The exercise includes responses to threats the North Korean military could pose, as well as cyber and drone attacks.” The drills come as President Lee Jae Myung’s government seeks to complete verification of the future Combined Forces Command’s full operational capability (FOC) at the allies’ Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) this fall. FOC is the second of three capability-validation stages under the first condition for OPCON transfer, following initial operational capability and preceding full mission capability, or FMC. If the two defense chiefs approve the FOC assessment, Seoul and Washington could move closer to recommending a target year for the transfer to their presidents. “If the standards are met, we believe it will be possible to make recommendations at the SCM on the FOC verification of the future Combined Forces Command and the timing of the transition,” JCS spokesperson Jang Do-young said. But the renewed push is reviving a more fundamental question: whether the future Korean-led command has actually been tested under conditions resembling those it would face after OPCON transfer. A person familiar with the transition process said the central issue is no longer whether South Korea should eventually regain wartime command, but whether a Korean four-star general leading the future Combined Forces Command would have the same assured access to U.S. intelligence, reinforcements and strategic assets during a crisis. WATCHCON, or Watch Condition, refers to the allies’ intelligence and surveillance alert posture for monitoring North Korean military activity and signs of an imminent threat. “After OPCON transfer, if the South Korean future combined commander orders a higher WATCHCON level during combined crisis management, is there a basis to receive the same level of U.S. assets as before?” the person said. “What is the plan to guarantee U.S. strategic assets and reinforcement forces in a full-scale war after OPCON transfer?” Under the current framework, the transfer depends on three broad conditions: South Korea’s ability to lead the allies’ combined defense, their capability to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, and a stable security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. The hardest question increasingly lies with North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. Critics argue that transferring OPCON without firmer guarantees of U.S. nuclear and strategic support could leave South Korea with greater command responsibility while remaining heavily dependent on Washington for the capabilities most critical in a major war. That concern is unlikely to be resolved by this year’s UFS alone. The exercise will not include a drill led by a South Korean four-star general acting as the future combined commander, leaving unanswered whether the command structure being assessed has been tested under the same circumstances it would face after transfer. Jeong Kyung-woon, a research fellow at the Korean Association of Military Studies, said a realistic debate should focus less on setting a political timetable and more on how South Korea would counter North Korea’s nuclear threat and secure stronger U.S. extended deterrence. “Given South Korea’s conventional military capability and economic strength, the first condition is not an impossible task,” Jeong said. “If South Korea makes the decision, it can be achieved within a reasonable period, and the risks to be accepted would not be excessive.” The second and third conditions are far harder, he said, because both ultimately come back to North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. “In the end, the second and third conditions are about the ability to respond to North Korea’s nuclear threat,” Jeong said. “The best option would be for South Korea to possess its own nuclear capability, but realistically that is difficult.” Nor, he said, would it be convincing to postpone OPCON transfer indefinitely on the assumption that North Korea is unlikely to denuclearize. “Under the current circumstances, the key to meeting the OPCON transfer conditions will be how South Korea can receive a more advanced form of extended deterrence than what exists now,” Jeong said. Those questions have gained urgency as shifting U.S. military priorities elsewhere in the world have demonstrated that American assets stationed on or assigned to the peninsula cannot necessarily be viewed in isolation. During the prolonged Iran war, THAAD launchers deployed in Seongju were temporarily moved to Osan Air Base before returning. USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson told U.S. lawmakers that no THAAD system had left the Korean Peninsula, but said the command had sent “munitions” forward and repositioned assets to prepare those munitions for possible movement. For critics of a rushed OPCON transfer, the episode illustrated the possibility that U.S. missile-defense munitions and other assets on the peninsula could be repositioned when broader American operational priorities change. They argue that Seoul therefore needs clearer guarantees on what U.S. surveillance, missile-defense, reinforcement and strategic assets would be available during a full-scale conflict with North Korea — and under whose authority they would be deployed. Questions over South Korea’s own early-warning capabilities have added another layer to the debate. The South Korean military did not disclose details of North Korea’s June 25 weapons launches on the day they occurred, prompting questions over whether it had detected and properly classified the weapons in real time. The Defense Ministry later said South Korea and the United States had detected and tracked multiple projectiles in real time. Still, the episode highlighted the importance of early warning, weapons classification and intelligence-sharing procedures in any future command structure in which a South Korean general assumes wartime operational control. The United Nations Command will also participate in UFS, with 12 member states, including the United States, expected to send about 70 additional personnel. The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission will observe the exercise to assess its compliance with the armistice agreement. 2026-08-10 17:41:16
  • Chinese shipping line launches regular Arctic container service to Europe
    Chinese shipping line launches regular Arctic container service to Europe SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - A Chinese shipping company is launching what is described as the first regular container service linking Asia and Europe via the Arctic, as melting sea ice and geopolitical risks along traditional shipping routes draw growing attention to the Northern Sea Route. Chinese carrier Sea Legend will begin operating a scheduled container service this week between Ningbo in eastern China and Felixstowe in the United Kingdom, the Financial Times reported Monday. The company has scheduled eight fixed sailings between August and October connecting Ningbo with Felixstowe, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Hamburg in Germany. Sea Legend, which mainly operates small and midsized container ships, plans to use the Arctic route primarily to transport electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar products to Europe. The route could cut the voyage between China and Europe to about 20 days, depending on Arctic conditions, roughly half the approximately 40 days required on conventional routes. The move comes as climate change continues to reduce Arctic sea ice, opening the region to more commercial shipping during the summer months. A record 23 vessels transited the Northern Sea Route in summer 2025, up from 15 in 2024. During the summer navigation season, sea ice can retreat far enough north to allow some vessels without icebreaking capabilities to make the passage. Interest in the Arctic route has also increased as shipping companies seek alternatives to traditional maritime chokepoints facing heightened geopolitical risks. Following attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on July 23, global oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel. The Arctic route allows vessels traveling between Asia and Europe to avoid the Red Sea and other chokepoints along the conventional route. However, Danish shipping giant Maersk has said it does not intend to use the Arctic route, citing concerns over potential damage to the region's fragile ecosystem. According to an analysis by Allianz, more than 500 shipping accidents were reported in the Arctic region over the past decade, with mechanical damage or failure accounting for roughly half of the incidents. 2026-08-10 17:23:13
  • HS-748 presidential aircraft exhibition opens in Seoul
    HS-748 presidential aircraft exhibition opens in Seoul SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - South Korea's National Aviation Museum will open a special exhibition Tuesday tracing the more than five-decade history of the HS-748, the country's first aircraft purchased specifically for presidential use. Titled "Final Flight, New Beginning: Presidential Aircraft HS-748," the exhibition will run from Aug. 11, 2026, through July 31, 2027, at the museum in western Seoul. It chronicles the aircraft's service as a presidential plane from 1974 to 1985 and its subsequent decades-long role transporting government and military VIPs for the Republic of Korea Air Force. South Korea acquired two HS-748 aircraft in 1974 and operated them as presidential aircraft for 11 years. After their presidential duties ended, the aircraft continued to serve as VIP transports on domestic and overseas missions. The HS-748 was removed from active duty in early 2023 and officially retired from the Air Force in 2024. Following consultations with the military, the museum relocated one of the aircraft, tail number 1713, to its grounds in 2025, where it is now displayed outdoors. The exhibition is organized into six sections covering the evolution of South Korea's presidential aircraft, preparations behind presidential flights, the HS-748's operational history, its engine, the people who worked aboard and maintained the aircraft, and its transition from a retired military plane into an aviation heritage asset. Among the items on display is a Rolls-Royce Dart engine that was actually installed on the HS-748, along with in-flight service tableware and uniforms worn by pilots, maintenance personnel and Air Force crew members. Visitors can also watch footage highlighting notable missions during the aircraft's roughly 50 years of service, including its role during Pope John Paul II's visit to South Korea in 1984. A photo zone reproducing HS-748 cabin seats at their actual size has also been installed to give visitors a sense of the interior of the former presidential aircraft. The actual aircraft displayed outside the museum is also incorporated into the exhibition experience. The museum's HS-748 measures 20.42 meters long with a wingspan of 30.02 meters and has a cruising speed of 417 kilometers per hour. Powered by Rolls-Royce Dart engines, the aircraft can carry 26 people. "This exhibition will go beyond simply looking back at the history of a retired aircraft and mark the first step in commemorating the HS-748 as it begins a new chapter as part of the National Aviation Museum's aviation cultural heritage," museum curator Choi Eun-jung said. The exhibition will be held in the museum's third-floor special exhibition hall and is free of charge. AJP Takeaways △ The National Aviation Museum of Korea will open the “Final Flight, New Beginning: Presidential Aircraft HS-748” exhibition on Aug. 11, 2026. △ The HS-748 served as South Korea’s presidential aircraft from 1974 to 1985 and remained in Air Force service until its retirement in 2024. △ The exhibition features the actual aircraft, a Rolls-Royce Dart engine, in-flight tableware and other items linked to the HS-748’s service history. 2026-08-10 11:49:32
  • USFK air defense unit deploys to Palau for live-fire drills 
    USFK air defense unit deploys to Palau for live-fire drills  SEOUL, August 10 (AJP) - A U.S. Forces Korea air defense unit recently deployed to Palau in the western Pacific for live-fire surface-to-air missile drills as part of a multinational exercise led by U.S. Army Pacific. The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, assigned to the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea, participated in Tenacious Archer 2026, according to information released by the U.S. military. Tenacious Archer is an annual multinational air and missile defense exercise conducted under U.S. Army Pacific in Palau and other locations across the western Pacific. This year's exercise ran from July 25 through Aug. 2. During the exercise, troops from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducted live-fire training involving the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger short-range air defense system and shoulder-fired Stinger surface-to-air missiles, according to images released by the U.S. military. The 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, headquartered at Osan Air Base, is one of the main U.S. air defense formations stationed in South Korea. Its units operate air and missile defense systems including Patriot batteries equipped with PAC-3 interceptors, as well as shorter-range systems such as the Avenger. Palau lies roughly 3,400 kilometers southeast of Osan in a straight line and occupies a strategically important position in the western Pacific. Along with areas around Guam and Japan's Ogasawara Islands, it is generally associated with the so-called second island chain, a line of islands considered important in U.S. military planning for operations in the Indo-Pacific and in countering China's growing military reach. The deployment also comes as the U.S. military faces heightened demand for air defense missiles amid the prolonged conflict with Iran, raising questions over how Washington would distribute limited air and missile defense assets among different theaters. The exercise could be seen as a test of the U.S. military's ability to rapidly disperse and deploy air defense forces normally stationed on the Korean Peninsula to other parts of the Indo-Pacific during a contingency. Such deployments are increasingly important to the U.S. military's concept of operating from dispersed locations rather than relying heavily on a small number of large, fixed bases that could be vulnerable to missile attacks. The Eighth Army highlighted that mobility in a social media post announcing its participation in the exercise. "By training to deploy and employ forces across diverse locations in the region, Eighth Army maintains the highest level of proficiency to defend our allies and partners, strengthens interoperability, and promotes stability in a free and open Indo-Pacific," it said. AJP Takeaways △ U.S. Forces Korea's 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade joined Tenacious Archer 2026 in Palau from July 25 to Aug. 2. △ The unit conducted live-fire drills with Avenger and Stinger air defense systems. △ The deployment highlighted the U.S. military's ability to rapidly disperse air defense forces across the Indo-Pacific. 2026-08-10 10:24:23
  • Army to replace gun cabinet keys with NFC-based digital locks
    Army to replace gun cabinet keys with NFC-based digital locks SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - The South Korean Army plans to replace traditional keys and handwritten logs used to manage gun cabinets with a digital authentication system, as part of efforts to improve security and reduce administrative work. The Army announced the plan Friday during a logistics policy briefing at its Consolidated Logistics Depot in Sejong, led by Maj. Gen. Ha Heon-cheol, chief of logistics. Under current rules, military gun cabinets are secured with two separate locks, with the keys held by two different personnel as a safeguard against unauthorized access. In practice, however, some units have not strictly followed the two-key system for convenience, while lost keys have also posed recurring problems. The Army said maintaining access logs and key issuance records has also created an unnecessary administrative burden. To address the issue, the Army plans to replace conventional locks with dual NFC-based digital locks that can be opened through mobile authentication. It will also expand the use of smart gun cabinets equipped with biometric authentication. The digital locks will first be tested at three units, including the 9th Infantry Division, before the Army evaluates their suitability for military use. If the trial is successful, the system will be gradually introduced across all Army units by 2034. 2026-08-07 18:01:44
  • HMM continues talks on long-term bulk shipping contract
    HMM continues talks on long-term bulk shipping contract SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - HMM said Friday it is continuing negotiations over a long-term bulk shipping contract and is currently discussing remaining details with the counterparty. In a regulatory filing responding to recent media reports, the South Korean shipping company said it has been in talks to finalize the contract but that no specific terms have yet been confirmed. HMM said it will make another disclosure once concrete details are finalized or within three months. The next disclosure is scheduled for Nov. 6. Media reports last month said HMM was seeking a 25-year dedicated shipping contract with Brazilian mining giant Vale. The reports also said HMM had ordered eight bulk carriers worth about 1.3 trillion won ($917 million) for use under the proposed contract and could generate around 4 trillion won in additional revenue if the deal is completed. HMM responded to the reports in a July 9 filing, saying discussions related to the contract were underway but that no decision had been made on whether an agreement would ultimately be signed. In its latest filing, the company said negotiations with the counterparty have continued and that the two sides are now discussing several remaining details, while stressing that the final terms of the contract have not yet been determined. 2026-08-07 17:50:50
  • Can robots fill Koreas military ranks?
    Can robots fill Korea's military ranks? SEOUL, August 07 (AJP) - Robots are emerging as a necessity rather than a choice for South Korea, which must defend one of the world's most heavily militarized borders with a rapidly thinning pool of young men. As birthrates collapse and the number of available conscripts shrinks, the question facing militaries such as South Korea's is no longer whether machines will join the ranks, but how much work they can take off human soldiers. For now, that does not mean robotic infantry charging across a battlefield. The more immediate possibility is less dramatic but potentially more useful: humanoid machines taking over repetitive, dangerous and physically demanding jobs aboard ships, inside bases or near frontline positions, freeing increasingly scarce soldiers for tasks that still require human judgment. South Korea offers one of the clearest test cases. Its active-duty military shrank by roughly a fifth between 2019 and 2025 to about 450,000 personnel as the population of military-age men contracted. The Defense Ministry says the number of men eligible for military service fell to 257,000 in 2022 from 332,000 just three years earlier. The demographic arithmetic is now forcing changes to a conscription system that has underpinned South Korean defense for more than seven decades. Able-bodied men remain subject to compulsory service, with Army conscripts generally serving 18 months. But the government is exploring a more selective system combining traditional conscription with longer-term service by technically skilled personnel, while seeking greater use of drones, robots and other unmanned systems. That is where humanoids have an unusual advantage over other machines. Warships, military vehicles, barracks and much of the equipment inside them were built around the human body. Doors have handles. Ships have ladders, switches and steering wheels. Maintenance crews use hand tools. Soldiers climb stairs, carry boxes, plug in cables and operate equipment designed for fingers and arms. A humanoid that can move and manipulate objects like a person could potentially enter that environment without the military having to rebuild everything around the robot. South Korea's Navy put that idea to the test in July. At the Naval Education and Training Command in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, a humanoid robot called PIBOT took the helm during the Navy's first combat experiment involving a robotic crew member. Developed by a Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology team, PIBOT was placed at a ship-handling simulator and asked to perform the work of an enlisted helmsman. When an officer issued a steering command, the robot repeated the instruction, turned the wheel and reported completion, following the same read-back procedure used by human sailors. It successfully carried out steering orders under simulated conditions including narrow waters, nighttime operation and bad weather. A large language model helped PIBOT interpret ship-handling procedures and spoken commands. More importantly, the experiment required no redesign of the existing controls for the robot. That small detail points to the broader attraction of humanoids: instead of building a special unmanned ship around a robot, the military could eventually put a human-shaped machine into a space already built for sailors. The Navy said the experiment was intended to identify duties that could be handed to robots and reduce sailors' workloads as part of its manned-unmanned "Navy Sea GHOST" concept. It remains a long way from replacing a sailor. A 2025 study by researchers at Korea National Defense University assessed South Korea's humanoid technology as still being at an early stage, largely capable of structured industrial work or walking demonstrations in controlled environments. The machines have yet to demonstrate the rough-terrain mobility and ability to perform complex, unstructured missions required in military operations, the researchers said. The study nevertheless identified humanoids as potentially useful for reconnaissance, logistics, hazardous-material handling and other high-risk missions in which human forces could be supplemented rather than replaced. South Korea's Agency for Defense Development is also working on the country's first bipedal military humanoid, with a prototype targeted for 2027. The biggest obstacles are increasingly apparent. One of them is surprisingly familiar: the hand. The human hand contains more than 25 bones and more than 30 joints connected through muscles and tendons capable of making minute adjustments almost without conscious thought, according to a Hyundai Motor Securities report on humanoid robot hands. Trying to reproduce those movements mechanically requires dozens of actuators, adding size, weight and cost. High-end robotic hands alone can cost tens of millions of won. Then comes control. A person can pick up an egg gently and immediately grip a heavy tool more firmly. A robot must calculate how each joint moves and how much force it should apply while continuously processing information from its sensors. Touch presents another gap. Human hands contain thousands of receptors capable of detecting pressure, texture and temperature and feeding that information almost instantly to the nervous system. Robotic hands operate with far fewer tactile sensors and still lag humans in processing speed and precision. That helps explain why many humanoid developers continue to use simple two- or three-finger grippers rather than fully articulated five-finger hands. For a factory robot performing the same motion thousands of times, that limitation may be manageable. For a military robot, it becomes much harder. A soldier may need to open a hatch, pull a cable, pick up a tool, turn a valve, move ammunition and then climb into a vehicle — tasks requiring different combinations of strength, touch and dexterity within minutes. "The key will be whether companies can develop robotic hands with sufficient degrees of freedom while sharply reducing costs," said Park Jun-young, an analyst at Hyundai Motor Securities. The problem helps explain why humanoid soldiers remain more science fiction than battlefield reality. Yet South Korea may not need robots capable of doing everything a soldier does for them to become valuable. Replacing a sailor at the helm for several hours, carrying supplies through a base, inspecting a hazardous area or conducting routine surveillance could remove individual jobs from units already struggling for personnel. And the manpower pressure is unlikely to disappear. Public opinion suggests Koreans still recognize the need for national service. An Ipsos survey conducted in late 2025 found 68 percent of South Korean respondents supported mandatory military service for young people, compared with a 30-country average of 52 percent. Some 62 percent said they would be willing to join formal preparation or training in case of foreign invasion. But support for the existing model has long been less clear-cut. A Gallup Korea survey in 2021 found 42 percent favored retaining conscription and 43 percent supported an all-volunteer military. On whether women should also be drafted, opinion was almost evenly divided, with 47 percent favoring male-only conscription and 46 percent supporting conscription of both sexes. Technology offers another route. South Korea's military reform plans increasingly envisage soldiers working alongside drones and robots rather than trying to maintain manpower solely by widening the draft. The Korea National Defense University researchers said humanoid technology remains short of what is required for immediate battlefield deployment and warned that technological uncertainty makes it difficult even to define military requirements before systems are tested in the field. That makes PIBOT important less as a glimpse of a robot army than as a demonstration of something more practical. A machine performed one job previously assigned to one sailor, using a workspace and controls designed for a human. Multiply that across ships, bases, logistics units and hazardous duties, and humanoids could begin to ease the demographic squeeze without ever becoming autonomous soldiers. For conscription-based militaries confronting a shrinking generation, that may be enough to make robots a lifeline. AJP Takeaways △ South Korea is turning to humanoid robots as its pool of military-age men shrinks and pressure grows on its conscription-based armed forces. △ The near-term goal is not to replace soldiers, but to assign robots repetitive, hazardous and manpower-intensive duties aboard ships, bases and frontline facilities. △ The Navy’s PIBOT test showed a humanoid can operate human-designed military controls without requiring major changes to existing equipment. △ Dexterous hands, tactile sensing, mobility and cost remain major barriers to wider military deployment. △ For Korea, humanoid robots are more likely to become force multipliers than autonomous soldiers, helping stretch a shrinking military workforce. 2026-08-07 17:42:55