Beijing: South Korea plans to create a combat unit of weaponised drones next year that would be capable of swarming the nuclear-armed North in the event of a conflict.

Army officials said the drones would primarily focus on reconnaissance operations against strategic North Korean military sites, amid growing tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programme.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects an intercontinental ballistic missile test in North Korea. Credit:AP

But the unit could be mobilised to launch swarm attacks if necessary, with an army official claiming drone combat would be a "game-changer in warfare" on the Korean peninsula.

"The army plans to set up a special organisation to lead the development of dronebots, establish a standard platform and expand the dronebot programme," the unnamed official said.