(PatriotWise.com) – Last Monday, South Korea’s military was forced to scramble jets and helicopters after detecting five North Korean drones crossing the border for the first time in five years.
One of the North Korean drones traveled as far as Seoul’s northern region, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The military responded by firing warning shots and launching fighter jets and attack helicopters to shoot down the drones. Despite the attack helicopters firing a combined 100 rounds, it doesn’t appear a single North Korean drone was shot down, according to the Associated Press.
Last Monday’s drone incursion was the first time a suspected North Korean drone crossed into South Korea since 2017. According to South Korean officials, North Korea currently has approximately 300 drones in its arsenal.
The failure to shoot down a single drone during last Monday’s incident has raised questions about the country’s air defense capabilities at a time when tensions between North and South Korea remain high as Pyongyang steps up its missile testing.
Maj. Gen. Lee Seung-o, the director of operations for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters that the military “will thoroughly and resolutely respond to this kind of North Korean provocation.
On Tuesday, the South Korean military again launched fighter jets and attack helicopters after flying objects were spotted crossing the Military Demarcation Line from North Korea. However, the military later confirmed that the “drones” weren’t drones at all but a flock of birds.
During a regular Cabinet Council meeting last Tuesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol said South Korea plans to establish a “military drone unit” that will be “tasked with monitoring key military facilities in North Korea.” He said after Monday’s incident, the drone unit will be established “as soon as possible.”
As part of the effort, President Yoon said the South Korean military would be introducing “state-of-the-art stealth drones” as well as bolstering its surveillance capabilities.
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