North Korean Drones in Seoul's Skies: What Is Known

The operation by South Korean military forces to counter North Korean drones that intruded into its airspace lasted for about five hours, according to a report by the Yonhap news agency citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.

It was noted that the drone, which flew over Seoul and returned to North Korea, spent approximately three hours in South Korean airspace. Additionally, four more drones disappeared from radar. South Korean military attempted to shoot down the flying craft over Ganghwa Island, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Earlier reports indicated that North Korean drones had been in the airspace of the Republic of Korea for at least seven hours.

“North Korean drones were flying over private homes and city centers. In emergency situations, our military considers the potential damage that could be caused and therefore cannot fire. They can be shot down only in areas where there is no risk of damaging civilian homes,” a military representative told News-1 agency.

According to the South Korean army, at local time 10:25 AM (05:25 AM Yerevan time), “unidentified objects” were detected in border areas of Gyeonggi Province. These objects crossed the military demarcation line and appeared in the regions of Paju on Gangwha-do Island and the city of Gimpo, leading to the temporary suspension of around 30 civilian flights at Seoul’s airports.

In response, the Republic of Korea raised its aircraft, helicopters, and other aviation equipment. South Korean military conveyed warning messages, opened warning fire, and then “began operations to neutralize them (the objects).” Furthermore, the South Korean side “responded proportionately” by sending its reconnaissance assets to the border zone, including north of the military demarcation line.