JCS head stresses readiness against enemy drones in Seoul skies

The head of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Myung-soo, on Tuesday visited the Capital Defense Command to assess readiness against enemy uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, infiltrating Seoul's airspace.

The JCS chairman called for thorough preparations for countering possible enemy threats that could arise in Seoul and nearby areas, especially in the skies.

Over his visit to the command force in the capital, he said close coordination among the military, police and government was “paramount” to the success of operations.

“We must regularly hold joint training with relevant agencies to refine our readiness processes for conducting integrated defense operations,” he said.

To the air defense camp, he urged “determination to down enemy UAVs, if provocations were to occur.”

Over the weekend, Kim visited the air defense camp near the western front, which protects Seoul airspace, where he warned “the threat of enemy UAV provocations is higher than ever.”

The JCS said Tuesday’s visit was intended to inspect field-oriented preparedness in Seoul in light of the growing threat of enemy provocations.

Kim was sworn in as the head the JCS on Nov. 25, becoming the first top military officer to come from the Navy in a decade.