On Tuesday, President Lee Jae Myung addressed the recent incident where a civilian allegedly sent a drone to North Korea. He likened it to firing a gun into North Korean territory and called for severe sanctions.
During his opening remarks at the second Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House, President Lee stated that this could potentially provoke war. There are legal provisions for punishing acts of invasion against another country.
The President expressed disbelief about a civilian infiltrating North Korea with a drone for illegal purposes, saying that it’s hard to imagine that a civilian would even consider sending a drone to gather intelligence in North Korea.
He added that while the investigation is ongoing, there are also claims of national agency involvement. He finds it incomprehensible that someone could act so brazenly in sending a drone into North Korean airspace. It must conduct a thorough investigation and impose strict sanctions to prevent such incidents from recurring.
President Lee also questioned Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, asking that given the advanced science, technology, and defense capabilities, how could it fails to detect a drone crossing the border?
When Minister Ahn explained that radar only detects the drone as a tiny blip, President Lee remarked that this clearly indicates a gap in the air defense system. If necessary, it should upgrade our equipment. Such incidents could unnecessarily escalate tensions and create a confrontational atmosphere between North and South Korea, potentially harming the economy.