The Rapid Emergence of Autonomous Weapons (AWS) and its Ethical Challenges

The Rapid Emergence of Autonomous Weapons (AWS) and its Ethical Challenges

Purpose: This article aims to derive ethical challenges for the Republic of Korea (ROK) military in response to the rapid emergence of Autonomous Weapons (AWS) and propose development strategies. Method: To identify previous research on AWS and ethical challenges regarding AWS in the international community, this research proposed ethical challenges and development strategies for AWS in the ROK military. Results: The ethical challenges regarding AWS in the ROK military include controllability, accountability, reliability, transparency, data management, and human rights protection. To overcome the ethical challenges associated with the development of AWS, active collaboration with not only the Ministry of National Defense but also relevant agencies, industry-academia partnerships, and other stakeholders is necessary to promote their advancement. Conclusion: The ethical issues related to the dignity of life, control over decision-making, and other aspects must be continuously improved in the process of utilizing AWS for ROK military purposes in cooperation with the international community.