North Korea carried out GPS attacks in the southwestern part of the country in the Yellow Sea on Friday and Saturday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Several ships and dozens of planes reported “some operational disruption”.
“North Korea carried out GPS provocations yesterday and today (November 8-9) in Heju and Kaesong,” said the chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul. He added that the crews of several ships and dozens of civilian aircraft reported “some operational disruptions”.
The military in Seoul warned pilots and captains flying in the border area of the danger, although it did not specify how North Korea was jamming GPS signals or detailing their extent.
“We call on North Korea to immediately stop GPS provocations and strongly warn that it will be held responsible for any further problems,” the statement said.
GPS jamming series
South Korea's Yonhap news agency notes that North Korea launched a series of inter-GPS attacks from May 29 to June 2 southward from the western part of the demarcation line. This comes shortly after Pyongyang began sending debris balloons over South Korea for the first time this year.
Military Potential of North and South Korea PAP – Mateusz Krymski
Sporadic GPS efforts have been detected in the inter-Korean border area since early last month, although their strength was lower than in May and June. The Pyongyang regime has carried out such provocations on various scales in recent years.
Relations between the two Koreas are currently considered to be the worst in decades. Pyongyang has declared South Korea an “enemy state” in its constitution, and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has ordered a “complete break” with its neighbors and preparations for war that “could break out at any time.”
Main photo credit: Caminhos me Levem / Shutterstock
