US Prepares To Station Armed Drones In South Korea

The United States has announced it intends to station armed drones in South Korea in what's being seen as the latest round of military escalation in the region.

The MQ-1C Gray Eagle is an advanced version of the Predator drone.

It is capable of carrying four Hellfire air-to-surface missiles which can be used for precision strikes.

The move comes a week after the US began to ship an advanced anti-missile system to South Korea.

A military spokesman said the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is a response to "continued provocative actions" by North Korea.

Last week North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan in response to annual US-South Korea military drills which the North sees as preparation for war.

The US State Department says the drones are a defensive measure but China has described the recent build-up as a threat to its own security

The deployments come amid political upheavals in South Korea after the impeachment and dismissal last week of its former president, Park Geun-hye.

A presidential election will be held on May 9.

Policy on North Korea and the THAAD system are likely to be contentious issues in the campaign.

Pictures courtesy of the US Department of Defense.