South Korean Army Unit Nearly Shoots Down Own Military Drone in Flight Test Blunder
An opposition lawmaker claims a front-line unit nearly targeted a domestic drone just days after mistaking a U.S. spy drone for an enemy threat.
Quick Look
A front-line South Korean Army unit nearly shot down a domestic military drone during a flight test, an opposition lawmaker said, following a similar recent mishap involving a U.S. drone.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The 1st Army Corps previously mistook a U.S. military drone for an enemy threat due to communication mix-ups.
SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- A front-line Army unit nearly shot down a South Korean military drone during a flight test earlier this week, an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday, just days after the same unit mistook a U.S. spy drone for an enemy threat.
The 1st Army Corps, based along the western front bordering North Korea, issued an air defense alert and stood ready to shoot down the drone as it flew through airspace under its jurisdiction Monday, Rep. Sung Il-jong of the main opposition People Power Party said in a press conference at the National Assembly.
The drone was with the Army Test and Evaluation Group conducting a flight test. The test group had notified the 1st Corps of its plan to carry out the trial in advance, the lawmaker claimed.
The incident followed a similar mishap involving the same unit and the U.S. military, in which the 1st Corps mistook a U.S. drone for a potential threat due to a communication mix-up and mobilized artillery to take it down.
The commander of the 1st Corps has been relieved of duty pending a disciplinary evaluation related to the U.S. drone incident and other issues.
Calling the latest incident another "major blunder" at the Army Corps, Sung urged Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back to step down and take responsibility for severe lapses in military discipline.
"If (the Army) failed to even distinguish between an enemy drone and a friendly drone, it means a total breakdown of our military's operational system," he said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the military was aware of the flight test plan and received a prior notice from the evaluation group.
However, the drone flew at a higher altitude in the afternoon than the level it declared in the advance notification, prompting the military to carry out routine operational procedures in line with its protocol, the JCS said.
The JCS refuted Sung's claim over the activation of the Durumi air defense alert, saying it was never issued.
"We express concerns that exposing the standard operational procedures of front-line units may affect our military readiness and the morale of our troops," the JCS said in a message to reporters.
Open Questions
- Will Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back resign as demanded?
- What specific disciplinary actions will follow?
