The Jeju provincial government will launch the nation's first paid drone delivery service in the second half of the year.

According to the transport ministry on Friday, 15 municipalities, including Seoul, Incheon and the southernmost resort island Jeju, have been selected to demonstrate delivery by drone with state support.

Light-weight general items will be delivered by drones to some 130 households on Gapa Island off Jeju's southwestern coast.

In the Gyeonggi provincial city of Seongnam, items purchased by customers at a convenient store inside a park will be delivered to designated areas.

In Incheon, a large-sized drone capable of carrying up to 100 kilograms will be converted to transport equipment and supplies used in marine search operations, while in the southeastern city of Ulsan, a plan to deliver protective gear during nuclear plant disasters will be put to the test.