Korean Air Launches $333.5Mln-Worth Mass Production of Spy Drones

Sputnik News

08:02 10.01.2016(updated 08:31 10.01.2016)

South Korea's largest airline Korean Air said Sunday it has signed a $333.5 million deal on the mass production of reconnaissance drones with the military procurement agency, local media reported.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – According to the Yonhap news agency, the drones production plan is intended to run until 2020. Details of this contract are not disclosed.

In November, media reports appeared saying that South Korea was planning to develop unmanned aircraft by 2017 to patrol the demilitarized zone separating the country from North Korea. The drones were reportedly expected to significantly reduce cases of soldiers wounded by mines.

In spite of their long-standing armistice, South and North Korea remain legally at war, as no peace treaty was signed after the 1950-1953 Korean War.

In late October, South Korean President Park Geun-hye announced that she would increase military spending to counter the possibility of North Korean hostilities.

© Sputnik