South Korea ‘lacks’ military readiness – president

On Monday, North Korean drones intruded into the South’s airspace, violating it for hours, Seoul has claimed

The readiness posture and training of the South Korean military had been “greatly lacking,” as evidenced by a recent incursion of North Korean drones, President Yoon Suk-yeol assessed during a cabinet meeting.

Seoul needs to boost its capabilities in the wake of the Monday incident, the South Korean leader told ministers on Tuesday, according to Yonhap. He claimed his country had realized “the danger of a North Korea policy that relied on North Korea’s good intentions and military agreements.”

On Monday, the military reported at least five North Korean drones detected in various parts of South Korea, including near Gyodong Island and between the cities of Gimpo and Paju. One military light plane was lost during the response. The incursion lasted for as long as seven hours, according to local media.

President Yoon promised to speed up the establishment of a drone unit, which is intended to conduct reconnaissance operations against the North. It will be moved forward “as much as possible,” he pledged.

“We will strengthen our surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities by introducing advanced stealth drones,” Yoon said.

READ MORE: Details of North Korean drone incident revealed – media

Last week, Seoul announced it would conduct some 20 military exercises jointly with the US in the first six months of 2023. The countries will focus on “crafting of realistic training scenarios in light of advancing North Korean nuclear and missile threats,” the Defense Ministry stated.

Earlier in December, Pyongyang announced the test of equipment for a spy satellite during the launch of ballistic missiles. It released grainy pictures of parts of South Korea, presumably taken during the experiment, and claimed it will soon be ready to place a fully operational satellite into orbit.