South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday the country will increase its preparedness to respond to airspace intrusions after five North Korean drones crossed the border and were not shot down by the military.
The South Korean military deployed fighter jets after North Korean drones invaded airspace on Monday as one of the drones was flying near the capital.
However, even after carrying out a five-hour operation, the North Korean drones were not shot down, drawing widespread criticism from the South Korean military and the military issuing an apology.
On Thursday, President Yoon called the situation “intolerable” and added that the government should make Pyongyang “realize that provocations always have harsh consequences.”
“For us to achieve peace, we need to make overwhelmingly superior war preparations,” he added while speaking during his visit to the state-run Defense Development Agency.
“The overall response system against all flying objects invading our airspace, other than drones, needs to be re-examined to quickly make up for shortcomings,” he added.
Earlier this week, Yoon criticized the way the military handled the incident and called for speeding up the plan to launch a drone unit, which will include advanced stealth models to carry out surveillance of major military installations in Pyongyang.
The Southern Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Thursday that exercises, focused on drones, would take place.
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For the first time in five years, Pyongyang’s drones carried out an air raid into southern airspace. Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his goal is to turn his country into the world’s most powerful nuclear force, calling the country an “irreversible” nuclear state.
President Yoon said North Korea’s nuclear weapons would not affect Seoul’s response to future provocations by Pyongyang.
“Regardless of whether the opponent has nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction, we must send a clear message to those who are provocative,” he added.
(With agency contributions)
