This week, South Korea announced that nearly all members of its armed forces will be trained to operate drones as part of a sweeping new effort to prepare for the future of warfare. The initiative, known as the ‘500,000 Drone Warriors’ program, calls for approximately 500,000 military personnel across the army, navy, air force, and marine corps to receive drone training while the military rapidly expands its inventory of unmanned aircraft.

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said that drones should no longer be viewed as specialized equipment, but every soldier should be capable of using drones as a ‘second personal weapon.’

South Korea’s 500,000 Drone Warriors program illustrates a growing consensus among military leaders worldwide that drones have become as essential to modern combat as rifles, radios, or armored vehicles.

Drones have become the weapon of choice in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and they have become a main weapon being used by Iran against the U.S. and Israel. As the number and type of drones continue to grow, more militaries may adopt models similar to South Korea’s…

2026 has been the year of the energy shock. But while the world fixated on oil, another strategic resource staged one of the sharpest rallies in commodities: lithium.

Battery grade lithium carbonate has roughly doubled over the past year, to around $20,000 a ton, near three year highs, as supply tightened and demand from EVs, grid storage, and AI data centers surged. Morgan Stanley now forecasts a global lithium deficit in 2026.

EnergyX is positioned right in the middle of it. Its Project Lonestar™ demonstration plant in Texas is now producing battery grade lithium, one of the largest direct lithium extraction facilities in the United States. At full commercial scale, the company projects up to 50,000 tons a year and roughly $1 billion in annual revenue at current market prices.*

Backed by GM, POSCO, Eni, and the DOE. 50,000+ investors. $180M+ raised. Shares are $13 before the July 16 deadline.*

While drones are becoming a mainstay of military conflicts worldwide, South Korea has a more immediate reason for expanding their drone capabilities. South Korea’s new program is likely intended to counter the growing military drone capability of neighboring North Korea.

Though an armistice was signed in 1953, technically a state of war still exists between North and South Korea because no permanent peace treaty has ever been implemented. North Korea has been sending troops to fight against Ukraine on behalf of Russia and gaining new battlefield experience in the process.

The lessons learned by North Korean forces in Ukraine are almost certainly being used to train North Korean troops back home, so the actions by South Korea to counter the North’s new drone capabilities is an example of how the war in Ukraine is having global ramifications. Ukraine has become a battlefield laboratory for developing and testing new drone technologies and tactics, and both are already being exported beyond Ukrainian lands to the rest of the world.

South Korea also has a declining birthrate, which could reduce the number of people available for military service in the near future. The new drone warrior program could help offset demographic changes since one operator can control many different drones in multiple locations. Drones can serve as a force multiplier for any military facing personnel shortages in the future. 

Drones provide adversaries with a low-cost and easy way to carry out attacks, but they can also prolong conflicts and destabilize negotiations. A single drone attack or a wave of such attacks could become a new way for hostilities between North and South Korea to resume. A single rogue commander wishing to initiate hostilities could do so simply by launching drones at one side or the other. 

*Disclaimer: Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“we”, “us”, “our”, and “EnergyX” is conducting an offering of securities pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. An offering statement covering this offering has been qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Neither this communication nor any of its content constitutes an offer to sell, solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation for any of our securities by our company or any third party. Offers and sales of the securities are being made solely by means of the qualified offering circular. Investing in our securities involves significant risks. Before investing, you should consult with your financial advisor, accountant, and/or attorney legal, and carefully review the qualified offering circular (including the “Risk Factors” section) and any offering circular supplements.

The most recent qualified offering circular is available at https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1830166/000149315226017123/form253g2.htm. The most recent qualified offering circular and any supplements can also be found on the SEC’s EDGAR filing database, available at www.sec.gov/edgar/search/. Prospective investors should note that neither the SEC nor any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority has approved or recommended our securities or determined that our offering circular is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is unlawful. We are not a broker-dealer or investment adviser registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. No communication made by us or any of our affiliates, through this communication or any other medium, should be construed as a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold any securities, or as investment, tax, financial, accounting, legal, regulatory, or compliance advice. Neither this communication nor any of its content constitutes an offer to sell, solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation for any of our securities by our company or any third party. The content presented here is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to solicit the purchase of securities or to be used as investment, legal or tax advice. Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information presented herein may include forward-looking statements, estimates, or projections regarding our anticipated future performance. If present, these statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “may”, “might”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “future” or “continue”, the negative of these terms, and other comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations and are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, estimates and projections, if any, are based upon various assumptions made concerning our anticipated results and industry trends, which may or may not occur. We are not making any representations as to the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements, estimates or projections. Our actual performance may be materially different from any such statements, estimates or projections. We are under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements to conform them to actual results or revised expectations.