Invasion of South Korean airspace North Korean drones showed Seoul’s defenses were unprepared for such threats, according to a classified US intelligence assessment of the incident last December.

As noted in the same report, it will most likely take years before his military South Korea correct these shortcomings.

Secret Service findings, outlined in documents leaked on the messaging platform Discord and obtained by the Washington Post, reveal the vulnerability of South Korea’s air defense against the background of the aggressive development of the neighbor’s nuclear arsenal.

South Korea prioritizes defense against missiles fired from across the Korean border, which has led to neglect other air defense needs, makes the country vulnerable in an emerging threat responsible for countless deaths in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere, US experts say.

This latest intelligence estimate dates from early May and is reported to participate in a briefing for senior management US army.

This sheds further light on why the South Korean forces fought to detect, record and neutralize drones during the December raid, indicating the lethargy of the air defense in the face of the growing threat of drones.

The document also notes that North Korean air force pilots could exploit loopholes South Korean air defense.

It is noted that on December 26, five North Korean drones violated the airspace of South Korea, penetrating deep into South Korean territory, and one of them breaks through the no-fly zone around the presidential palace in Seoul. Although the fighters immediately “raised”, they failed to shoot down. The incident provoked political backlash and criticism of the South Korean prime minister, who, however, accused his predecessor of being unprepared.

Source: Washington Post.