The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has expressed serious concerns over North Korea’s disruption of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and adopted a resolution urging measures to prevent future incidents. The ICAO Council chairperson will notify North Korea of this decision via an official letter.
On Monday, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that ICAO identified North Korea as the source of GPS signal disruptions during its 234th Council meeting in Montreal, Canada, from March 10 to April 4. The organization issued a stern warning in response.
The resolution reaffirmed grave concerns about GPS signal disruptions, which violate the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and its annexes, emphasizing the significant risks posed by North Korea’s actions.
ICAO strongly urged North Korea to strictly adhere to existing Council decisions and the Chicago Convention, demanding assurances to prevent future occurrences.
Previously, the South Korean government brought this issue to the ICAO Council after more than 4,400 civilian aircraft from over 20 countries and regions were affected by North Korea’s GPS signal disruptions between October last year and February 14 of this year. South Korea called for a robust response from ICAO.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the ICAO Council’s decision not only sends a strong message to North Korea for its repeated GPS disruptions but also reflects the international community’s shared recognition of the risks these actions pose to civil aviation safety and its united resolve to respond.
The ministry added that they will continue to closely monitor North Korea’s actions and collaborate with the international community to ensure serious and unified measures are taken against provocations such as GPS signal disruptions.