The South Korean military is set to hold a joint air defense exercise focused on countering North Korean drone threats.
The drill, part of the military’s quarterly air defense training, will assess the ability of various units to coordinate and effectively neutralize potential drone incursions.
During the exercise, the South Korean military will simulate a surprise attack by the North involving multiple drones targeting both the east and west coasts.
The goal, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, is to swiftly mobilize defense assets to detect, identify, and intercept the infiltrating enemy drones.
It will involve units from the Army Ground Operations Command, as well as the South Korean Navy and Air Force.
Learning From Past Mistakes
The exercise comes as Seoul intensifies efforts to enhance its air defense capabilities, following a high-profile failure in 2022.
In that incident, five North Korean drones breached South Korea’s airspace and returned home without being intercepted.
One of the drones even entered a no-fly zone over the presidential compound, raising serious concerns about the military’s ability to defend against drone threats.
In response, the South Korean military took significant steps to strengthen its drone defenses, including the establishment of the Drone Operations Command.
Additionally, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration has announced plans to deploy laser weapons this year to shoot down North Korean drones entering South Korean airspace.
Rising Drone Threats
As South Korea enhances its counter-drone capabilities, North Korea continues to expand its own unmanned systems fleet.
Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the “mass production” of attack drones designed to target both land and naval assets.
In August, Kim supervised the testing of a new kamikaze drone, resembling Russia’s Lancet-3 and Israel’s HERO-30 and HAROP suicide drones.