Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

S. Korea Considers Using Armed Robots Along DMZ

Posted by Zonk on from the worked-in-robocop dept.

Slicker writes "S. Korea and N. Korea (aka the ROK and DPRK, respectively) share the most heavily fortified border that has ever existed. Now the ROK is considering deployment of armed robots." Not expected until sometime in the 2010s. From the article: "Robots with weapons mounted on their frames are each expected to be able to observe from 2 and 1 kilometers during the day and night, respectively, and will have the capability to record voices and take pictures in a 180-degree circle."

4 of 406 comments (clear)

  1. 'social ethics' & warfare by xiaomonkey · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder how the 'social ethics' warfare will be effected by using autonomous robotic soldiers.

    On one hand the people of a country using such robots could become less apposed to using military force against another country. That is, no longer will your son/daughter/friends be put in harms way.

    However, for the people in the country being attacked, such machines would probably be seen as monstrous cold killing machines. Something that accidentally below away your 6 year old since it confused him/her for an enemy combatant.

  2. Re:The Robot Apocalypse draws one step nearer... by Bonhamme+Richard · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Remote-control sounds fine, but automatically? Do we have software capable of reliably distingushing between a civilian and an enemy combatant (at least as well as a human soldier can, anyway...)? Doesn't sound like the best of ideas

    From what I've heard about the DMZ in Korea, there aren't any civilians. Most S. Koreans don't want to live that close to where the invasion will come from (if/when it comes) and the N. Koreans aren't allowed to live that close to anywhere where they could escape. National Georaphic actually did a report about how this made the DMZ in Korea one of the worlds most impressive wildlife reserves...

    ...there are no electric fences, nor electronic sensors and surveillance cameras. Seems to me that the South Koreans might be better off upgrading their fences and perimeters (proven technology) than putting their faith in autonomous killer robots (unproven, scary, incredibly risky sci-fi technology).

    Eletric fences may work great against crime etc, but as a military option... a fence isn't going to stop a tank, or even a really determined group of foot soldiers. The Atomic Bomb was unproven, scary, risky and sci-fi, but it saved the lives of an estimated 1 Million Marines/U.S. Army, and an untold number of Japanese.

    (Yes, I would argue that it saved Japanese lives, based on Iwo Jimi, Okinawa, etc, Japanese soilders would have fought for every inch of Japan, and likely would have destroyed the country in the process, but this is an arguement for another post...)

    The point is, that this would take soldiers (some of them American, as we have promised to protect S. Korea, and have troops stationed there.) out of harms way. Automated defences are replacable, but our military men and women are not.

  3. Re:PR campaign... by rapidweather · · Score: 3, Interesting
    If the bird flu problem in North Korea cannot be contained, then DMZ robots would take a back seat to the greater problem of widespread infection, pandemic throughout Korea:


    Concerning the North's efforts to contain bird flu, the ROK has been asked to help/send assistance to the North. The threat of bird flu (H5N1) and the resulting destruction of an important food source does not bode well for the DPRK.

    Perhaps the South's robot technology can lead to robots that can spray disinfectants in the big chicken farms the North Koreans have (or had). Humans have to wear protective suits to do that.

    Check out what one scientist says about bird flu killing 1 billion people.

    Hope North Korea gets the aid it needs to contain the virus for a while longer.

    The US is sending testing kits needed to determine the scope of the problem.

    --
    Rapidweather's Linux Screenshots.
  4. Not entirely true by xswl0931 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hi roshima_and_Nagasaki Others contend that Japan had been trying to surrender for at least two months, but the US refused by insisting on an unconditional surrender--which they did not get even after the bombing, the bone of contention being retention of the Emperor.[13] (http://www.nuclearfiles.org/hitimeline/1945.html) In fact, while several diplomats favored surrender, the leaders of the Japanese military were committed to fighting a 'Decisive Battle' on Kyushu, hoping that they could negotiate better terms for an armistice afterward--all of which the Americans knew from reading decrypted Japanese communications. The Japanese government never did decide what terms, beyond preservation of an imperial system, they would have accepted to end the war; as late as August 9, the Supreme Council was still split, with the hardliners insisting Japan should demobilize its own forces, no war crimes trials, and no occupation. Only the direct intervention of the Emperor ended the dispute, and even after that a military coup was attempted to prevent the surrender (although it was easily suppressed).