South Korea deployed fighter jets and military helicopters on Monday after several North Korean drones invaded the country’s airspace, according to Yonhap news agency. This is yet another episode in the escalation of tensions between neighbors in recent months.
At least five drones crossed the demarcation line separating the two Koreas, according to the South Korean government. One of the equipment would have managed to approach the capital Seoul.
In a statement, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff described the maneuver as a “clear act of provocation” by Pyongyang. “Several North Korean drones invaded our airspace in the border zone near Gyeonggi province,” it said.
South Korean military fired warning shots. In the action, a South Korean fighter plane crashed in the Hoengseong region, in the center of the country, according to Yonhap. There is no information on casualties, and the causes of the incident have not been clarified. The South Korean military also said whether the drones were shot down or returned to the North Korean side.
It was the first incursion by North Korean drones into South Korean airspace in five years. In response, Seoul’s forces also sent their own aircraft, manned and unmanned, to patrol the border region. Authorities reported that reconnaissance flights were made and that “enemy military installations” were monitored and photographed.
“Our Army will continue to respond resolutely to such provocations by North Korea,” the South Korean government said.
Civilian flights departing from Gimpo and Incheon international airports had to be suspended for an hour at the request of the military, according to South Korea’s Transport Ministry. There is no information on the number of passengers that were impacted by the measure.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP news agency that this was the first time flights were suspended in South Korea by North Korean drones. He explained that the devices’ main purpose was likely spying.
“Taking into account the low level of development of North Korean drones, there is little possibility that they have attack capabilities typical of modern weapons,” he said.
The incursion comes at a time of great tension, after several weapons tests by Pyongyang in recent months, including the attempted launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile that even generated a shelter alert for inhabitants of northern Japan.
After the shooting, the US sent one of its aircraft carriers close to the Korean peninsula, in a show of force against Pyongyang. The US country also held joint military exercises with South Korean forces. At least 240 jets participated in the activities.
Last month, South Korea deployed dozens of warplanes after detecting a deployment of 180 North Korean military flights in the region.
North Korea’s use of drones is a growing concern for Seoul. Pyongyang denies responsibility for the drones and accuses South Korea of ​​producing false evidence against the country.
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