North Korea's Attempt to Jam Radio Waves Toward the West Sea Direction

It was confirmed on the 8th that North Korea attempted to jam Global Positioning System (GPS) signals toward the South for three consecutive days starting the day after the regular South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Freedom Shield" (FS) began.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

The Joint Chiefs of Staff detected multiple GPS jamming signals launched by North Korea toward the West Sea Five Islands from noon on the 5th until the 7th. It appears that North Korea, staging a show of force targeting the FS exercise that began on the 4th, tested the South Korea-U.S. ability to detect jamming signals. The Joint Chiefs have shared information about the jamming signals with related agencies such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Coast Guard, out of concern for damage to civilian aircraft and ships. The GPS jamming signals launched by North Korea this time were reportedly weak in power and did not cause significant damage.

North Korea has intermittently attempted GPS jamming since 2010. In April 2016, ahead of the 20th general election, it carried out high-power jamming that affected domestic location-based services and ship navigation.

Meanwhile, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un inspected military exercises on the 6th and 7th, showing moves to counter the FS exercise.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim inspected artillery firing drills by large combined units of the Korean People's Army the previous day. The agency reported that the exercises Kim observed included "long-range artillery units near the border line, performing the critical military mission of war deterrence by keeping the enemy's capital within striking range." It appears that the North Korean artillery drills targeting the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul itself, were conducted with Kim in attendance.

The drills were divided into a show of force demonstrating firepower strike capability and a competition format ranking units based on target hit rates and mission completion times, the agency added. Kim expressed satisfaction with the training results and ordered that "all artillery units must further strengthen their routine combat mobilization preparations to seize the initiative with merciless and rapid strikes at the moment of entering actual combat." He also emphasized, "By organizing and conducting practical training to greatly enhance the combat power of artillery, which is the pride and fundamental core of our army, we must continuously strengthen artillery power in every possible way."

Earlier, on the 6th, Kim also visited an important operational training base in the western district, inspecting facilities and guiding training. His consecutive inspections of military units over two days are interpreted as part of North Korea's countermeasures against the South Korea-U.S. joint exercise Freedom Shield, which began on the 4th.

Shin Jong-woo, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, explained that the North Korean artillery firing drills Kim observed the previous day involved "two types of 152mm self-propelled guns (including the North Korean version of the K-9), 170mm self-propelled guns, and 240mm multiple rocket launchers." He added, "Although it was clearly stated that the artillery fire was aimed at Seoul, the scale does not appear to be significantly different from past exercises." Our military was monitoring and identifying the North Korean artillery fire conducted around Nampo, South Pyongan Province, the previous day.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "From around 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. yesterday, North Korean forces conducted artillery and self-propelled gun firing exercises targeting sea targets off the Nampo area in the West Sea. Our military has been monitoring and tracking related activities from the deployment of equipment for training to the firing itself."

The Joint Chiefs added, "While maintaining a firm combined defense posture, our military is conducting the ongoing FS exercise and joint drills thoroughly, closely watching for signs of provocations and military activities by North Korea. If North Korea commits provocations, we will overwhelmingly and decisively retaliate according to the principle of 'Immediate, Strong, and Final' (즉·강·끝)."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.