South Korea's spy agency announced on Friday that it would enhance drone-related data sharing with the army to strengthen responses to evolving threats. The country shares its border with nuclear-armed North Korea, with which it remains technically at war.
Background on North Korean drone developments
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the mass production of attack drones in 2024, and Russia has reportedly used North Korean submunitions on drones to attack Ukraine. Experts suggest Pyongyang may have received technical help from Russia for its drone program in exchange for sending thousands of North Korean soldiers to support Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Details of the agreement
South Korea's spy agency said it had signed an agreement with the army to strengthen drone security capabilities and jointly respond to evolving drone threats. The deal includes sharing domestic and overseas drone security information, improving regulations on the use of the latest drones, and conducting joint drills against drone threats targeting national security facilities.
As drones have emerged as a key military asset in modern warfare, including in the war in Ukraine, demand has been rising for data on the latest drone models used on overseas battlefields to bolster the operational capabilities of the military, the agency stated.
North Korea's drone claims and past incidents
North Korea said last year that its new strategic reconnaissance drone was capable of tracking and monitoring different strategic targets and enemy troops' activities on the ground and the sea, in a reference to South Korean forces. The North has also said Kim praised the performance of suicide attack drones that use artificial intelligence.
In 2022, five North Korean drones crossed into the South, prompting Seoul's military to fire warning shots and deploy fighter jets. However, the planes were unable to shoot down any drones because the devices were too small, and one drone breached the no-fly zone around the presidential office.
Last year, two Chinese nationals were arrested for illegally flying drones to film a South Korean naval base and a visiting US aircraft carrier docked in the port city of Busan. The illegally obtained materials reportedly included 172 photos and 22 video files, some of which were shared without authorization on social media platforms including TikTok.
