President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on Thursday that South Korea must increase its preparedness to respond to airspace incursions after failing to shoot down five North Korean drones that crossed the border.
The incursion by the drones on Monday, one of which flew near the capital Seoul, caused the South Korean military to deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters.
However, despite a five-hour operation, the military was unable to fire down the North Korean drones, leading to significant criticism and an apology from the military.
President Yoon stated on Thursday that the incident was “intolerable” and that the South should ensure that Pyongyang “understands that provocations are always dealt with severe repercussions.”
KCNA also states that Kim has set new priorities for North Korea’s military.
During a visit to the government-run Agency for Defence Development, he stated, “In order to achieve peace, we must make massively superior war preparations.”
“The total reaction mechanism against all flying objects violating our airspace, in addition to drones, must be reexamined to make up for weaknesses as soon as possible.”
Yoon criticized the military’s handling of the event earlier this week and ordered the acceleration of a plan to deploy a drone unit to conduct surveillance of Pyongyang’s critical military facilities.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South said on Thursday that drone-focused drills would be conducted.
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The incursion was the first time in five years that Pyongyang’s drones had entered South Korean airspace, and it followed a spate of recent North Korean missile tests that violated international sanctions.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, stated this year that he wished for his country to possess the world’s most powerful nuclear force and called North Korea a “irreversible” nuclear state.
Yoon stated that Seoul’s responses to future provocations by Pyongyang will not be affected by the North’s nuclear capabilities.
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“Regardless of whether the opponent is armed with nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction, we must send a clear message to provocateurs,” Yoon stated.
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