South Korea to spend $440M to counter North Korean drones

Seoul seeks to deploy airborne lasers to destroy drones and jammers to neutralise smaller devices two days after the reported incursion of North Korean drones.

President Yoon Suk-yeol has chastised the military's handling of the North Korean incursion, urging it to hasten the reinforcement of the drone units.
AP

President Yoon Suk-yeol has chastised the military's handling of the North Korean incursion, urging it to hasten the reinforcement of the drone units.

South Korea is planning to spend 560 billion won ($441.26 million) over the next five years to beef up its ability to fend off North Korean drones, according to Seoul's defence ministry. 

The defence ministry made the announcement on Wednesday, two days after North Korean drones crossed into the South in the first such intrusion since 2017.

Monday's incident triggered criticism over South Korea's air defences as it tries to curb the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

President Yoon Suk-yeol chastised the military's handling of the incursion, urging it to hasten the reinforcement of the drone units.

On Tuesday, the military apologised for its response, and said it could not shoot down the drones because they were too small.

On Wednesday, the government said that the midterm defence blueprint for 2023-27 includes a plan to add another drone unit in the army, which operates two squadrons.

The plan also includes the deployment of airborne laser to destroy drones and a jammer to neutralise smaller devices.

"The laser weapon programme is in a testing phase and expected to begin deployment in 2027," a ministry official said.

"The 'soft-kill' type jamming system would improve our response capability against small drones."

In total, the ministry aims to spend 331.4 trillion won ($261 billion) on defence over the next five years, with an average annual increase of 6.8 percent. This year's budget stood at 54.6 trillion won ($43 billion) .

READ MORE: South Korea fires warning shots after North's drones violate airspace

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More stealth jets

Defence expenditures are subject to parliamentary approval.

As part of Seoul's efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the ministry also said that it is seeking to procure more stealth jets to bolster real-time strike capabilities against moving targets.

The ministry said it will also secure additional ballistic missile submarines and accelerate the development of systems to intercept artillery rockets.

"We will strengthen our overwhelming massive punishment and retaliation capability to be able to destroy key facilities anywhere in North Korea in case of its nuclear attack or use of weapons of mass destruction," the ministry added.

Meanwhile in Pyongyang, North Korea's state media reported on Wednesday that its leader Kim Jong Un presented new plans to further bolster his military power next year in an indication he’ll continue his provocative moves of displaying weapons.

This year, North Korea already performed a record number of missile tests in what experts call an attempt to modernise its arsenal and increase its leverage in future dealings with the United States and South Korea.

READ MORE: Belligerent North Korea ratchet up tensions, fires two ballistic missiles

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