South Korea scrambles jets as North Korea sends drones over border
South Korea's military fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea on Monday after North Korean drones violated its airspace for the first time in five years, officials said, AP reports.
South Korea's military detected five drones from North Korea crossing the border, and one traveled as far as the northern part of the South Korean capital region, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The military responded by firing warning shots and launching fighter jets and attack helicopters to shoot down the North Korean drones. The attack helicopters fired a combined 100 rounds but it wasn't immediately known if the North Korean drones were shot down. There were no immediate reports of civilian damage on the ground in South Korea, according to the Defense Ministry. One of the aircraft, a KA-1 light attack plane, crashed during takeoff but its two pilots both ejected safely, defense officials said. They said they also requested civilian airports in and near Seoul to halt takeoffs temporarily. South Korea also sent surveillance assets near and across the border to photograph key military facilities in North Korea as corresponding measures against the North Korean drone flights, the Joint Chiefs said. It didn't elaborate, but some observers say South Korea likely flew unmanned drones inside North Korean territory.
