“Yesterday, five enemy aircraft violated the airspace of the Republic of Korea. Our army found them but could not take them down. According to YTN TV channel, Kang Shin-chul, head of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee’s operational headquarters, said, “We apologize for that.”
According to him, the drones were flying at an extremely low altitude, making them difficult to detect. In this context, air defense units will control the operation of radar systems.
The Yonhap news agency reported that, quoting the Chiefs of Staff, they acknowledged that the military was unprepared for threats from North Korean drones. The committee also pledged to mobilize resources to eliminate this danger, deploy forces to detect and destroy UAVs, and form a contingent of its own drones to monitor and reconnaissance the enemy.
migratory drones
But even today, December 27, South Korea put planes and helicopters on alert. However, it turned out to be wrong – according to the South Korean portal OhmyNews, the military has confused a flock of birds with the re-emergence of North Korean drones.
“There was an incident today, but it turned out to be a flock of birds, not North Korean drones,” the army told the portal.
According to the source, unknown objects were detected in South Korean airspace around 13:00 (07:00 Moscow time).
Following the alarm, local authorities in Ganghwagun County sent a message to residents to be alert to the presence of drones in the uninhabited Seokmo island area. In the background of the warning, information appeared in the media about the reoccupation of DPRK drones.
transfer arrows
Regarding the incident on December 26, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol said that the entry of North Korean drones into the republic’s airspace shows that the military has not received training in using drones for a long time. Yonhap therefore states that he indirectly accused the previous Moon Jae-in administration (he was president from 2017 to 2022) of an excessively peaceful policy towards Pyongyang.
“Given the lack of exercises since 2017 and the lack of proper efforts to counter a possible drone invasion and the creation of such forces, I think people see the danger of pursuing a policy of goodwill towards North Korea. North Korea and the military.
said the president.
He added that the army had previously planned to create a reconnaissance aircraft unit for operations in North Korea, but now the implementation of this plan will be accelerated.
Also, South Korea’s ruling Civil Power Party called on the government to strengthen defenses in the wake of the drone incident.
“This is a shock: While we were losing our attack aircraft, an enemy drone flew safely to central Seoul. Our army should be better prepared,” said Chu Ho Young, Civil Force Deputy.
Juche Supremacy
On the morning of December 26 (10:25 Seoul; 4:25 Moscow time), five North Korean drones crossed the border into South Korea. The military identified targets, but for some time they were not able to detect them. Drones have been spotted in the capital Seoul, as well as Gimpo, Ganghwa Island and Paju. Attack helicopters and warplanes were sent to destroy the UAVs. While trying to prevent a South Korean KA-1 light attack aircraft crashed, the exact cause of the crash unknown. The pilots were launched.
News1 reported that the military was unable to destroy the drones because they were flying too low. Firstly, this prevented them from being detected with the help of air defense systems, and secondly, the flight path passed over densely populated settlements.
Shortly after, Yonhap news agency reported that one of the five DPRK drones had returned to North Korea. The remaining four UAVs disappeared from the radar of the South Korean army.
“In total, five North Korean drones have been detected. First <...> “He went straight to the north of Seoul and then left Seoul and returned to North Korea.”
It was noted that South Korean air defense fired about 100 20 mm caliber rounds at North Korean UAVs, but could not neutralize them.
Also on December 27, it was learned that one of five North Korean drones could reach the presidential administration building in Seoul and film it. According to the interlocutors of the KBS channel, the drone, flying to the northern parts of Seoul and returning to the North Korea, could reach the Yongsan region, where the office of the president is located.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.