US permanently deploys MQ-9 Reaper drones in South Korea

The U.S. has permanently stationed MQ-9 Reaper combat and reconnaissance drones in South Korea for the first time, establishing the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (ERS) at Kunsan Air Base, 180 km south of Seoul. Lt. Col.

Douglas J. Slater assumed command of the squadron on September 28, the U.S. 7th Air Force said in a press release, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

“The activation of the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron reaffirms the United States’ strong commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula,” the release stated. “MQ-9 operations will enhance U.S.-ROK intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and improve our ability to respond to emerging threats.”

Previously, MQ-9s rotated temporarily for joint U.S.-ROK exercises, including November 2024’s Freedom Flag drill, the allies’ first live-fire drone exercise, conducted a day after North Korea tested its largest solid-fuel ICBM.

Shin Seung-ki, research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told NK News that the drones’ surveillance “allows for real-time targeting and strengthened monitoring capabilities around the Korean Peninsula.”

“While existing reconnaissance systems are in place on the South Korean side, the U.S. military would have judged that additional coverage was necessary, which is why the MQ-9 is now permanently stationed here," he added.

Shin suggested North Korea will be “cautious” but not see the deployment as an immediate threat. He also noted it “reflects a clear focus on monitoring China,” enhancing U.S. flexibility across the Indo-Pacific.

Pyongyang has previously criticised U.S. reconnaissance flights and accelerated its own UAV development, including Saetbyol-9 and Saetbyol-4 drones, with Kim Jong Un calling UAV development the country’s “top priority.”

By Sabina Mammadli