In response to criticism of the military’s response to a North Korean drone invasion of South Korean territory, President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea announced on Tuesday that he would push for the establishment of a military drone unit.
In the first such intrusion since 2017, five North Korean drones entered South Korea on Monday, prompting Seoul to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters and attempt to shoot them down.
At a time when South Korea is attempting to contain the North’s evolving nuclear and missile threats, the incident has raised concerns about its air defence systems once again.
While the drones were flying over several South Korean cities, including the capital Seoul, for about five hours, the military fired warning shots and about 100 rounds from a helicopter fitted with a machine gun but was unable to shoot any of the drones down.
Yoon told a cabinet meeting that the incident ‘clearly confirmed the need for more intense readiness and training’ and ‘showed a substantial lack of our military’s preparedness and training for the past several years.’
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