The Ministry of National Defense of South Korea intends from 2024 to begin the formation of mixed units of people and robots in the armed forces. This, according to Defense Aerospace, was announced by Defense Minister Son Yong Mu. Robots are planned to be actively used in all types of armed forces of South Korea.
South Korea is currently experiencing a demographic crisis. Today the population of the country is about 50 million people. According to the UN forecast, by 2050 the population of the country will be reduced to 40 million people and to 20 million – by 2100, if the situation is not broken.
Reducing the population leads to a decrease in the strength of the armed forces, since there is a shortage of people fit for military service. According to the military, the formation of mixed units of robots and people will support the combat power of the armed forces against the background of a decline in the birth rate and a decline in the population.
The Ministry of National Defense of South Korea conducted a study, which concluded that the use of only reconnaissance robots will replace in the troops from 500 to 600 people. The use of autonomous combat turrets on self-propelled howitzers K9 Thunder will free two thousand people.
Robots – reconnaissance ground, underwater, surface and aircraft, robotic sappers and some combat autonomous systems – can be effectively used in all types of armed forces. At the same time, they will have to interact with people from their unit.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture views robots as a way to avoid a food crisis. They are planned to replace the retiring farmers. In Japan, it is planned to develop 20 new types of robots, including a machine that will sort out mature and overripe peaches.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Japan, the average age of Japanese farmers today is 67 years. At the same time, the average age of farmers in the world, according to the US Department of Agriculture, is approaching 60 years. As farmers leave for retirement, there are fewer and fewer able-bodied people employed in agriculture.
