North Korean drone provocations will come with a 'severe price,' Seoul says

Dec. 29 (UPI) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday called the recent infiltration by North Korean drones "unacceptable" and vowed that such provocations will come with a "severe price."

The president made the remarks during a visit to the state-run Agency for Defense Development, which oversees weapons development including military surveillance and interception systems.

North Korea sent five drones into South Korean airspace on Monday, including one that reached the outskirts of Seoul.

"The violation of North Korea's airspace by a drone is simply unacceptable," Yoon said during the visit, according to his office. "We must make [North Korea] realize that provocation always comes with a severe price."

The South scrambled fighters, attack helicopters and other warplanes on Monday but failed to shoot down the drones, raising concerns over its readiness to respond to attacks. One KA-1 light attack aircraft crashed during the operation, with both of its pilots escaping safely.

"We need to review the overall response system not only to North Korea's drones but also to all flying objects that violate our airspace to quickly correct the deficiencies," Yoon said. "In response to North Korea's attempt to strengthen its asymmetric forces, we need to review our military's power buildup plan as a whole."

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup apologized during a parliamentary session on Wednesday over the botched military response but stressed that the country's defenses are "sufficient" to deal with larger armed drones.

The South Korean military held drills Thursday to strengthen its response to provocations by North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

"In various hypothetical situations in which UAVs would infiltrate, the training was carried out by detecting, identifying, tracking and shooting them down," the JCS said in a press release.

Some 20 assets including KA-1 light attack aircraft and Apache and Cobra attack helicopters took part in the exercises.

South Korea's defense ministry also earmarked $443 million over the next five years for anti-drone projects, including a laser weapons system, as part of its midterm defense budget released Wednesday.

Yoon on Thursday said that South Korea must be willing to retaliate against North Korean provocations without fear of the isolated state's nuclear weapons.

"Only firm retribution and retaliation can deter provocations," Yoon said. "Regardless of whether the opponent has nuclear weapons or any weapons of mass destruction, we must send a clear message to those who engage in provocations and we must never fear or hesitate."

"In order to achieve peace, we must make overwhelmingly superior preparations for war," he added.