North Korea disrupted GPS signals from border areas for second consecutive day: Seoul

The South Korean military said that North Korea disrupted GPS signals inborder areas for the second consecutive day on Saturday (Nov 9), affecting an unspecified number of flights and vessel operations.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)said that North Korean operations to manipulate GPS signals were detected from around the western border city of Kaesong and the nearby city of Haeju on Friday and Saturday, adding that the activities disrupted dozens of civilian aircraft and several vessels.

The JCS urged Pyongyang to immediatelyhalt the latest provocation and warned it would be held accountable for its actions.

Tensions between the Koreas have reignited since the North began flying balloons carrying trash into the South in May this year, prompting Seoul to restart loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts.

The increased risk in South Korean airspace

Citing an analyst, areport by the news agency Associated Press on Saturday said that North Korea's GPSsignal disruptions and balloon campaigns highlighted the vulnerability of South Korea’s Incheon International Airport.

The analyst said, "No major aviation incidents have resulted to date, but GPS interference can endanger commercial airlines flying in poor visibility, and it is a violation of international conventions on navigational safety."

The analyst pointed out that trash balloons sent by North Korea earlier this yearhalted the airport’s runway operations 12 different times for a total of 265 minutes.

Meanwhile, aviation experts have said that Pyongyang's trash balloon campaign,missile launches and the emergence of GPS "spoofing" have increased risks in South Korean airspace.

While warning aircraft and vessels near western border areas, South Korea did not specify how North Korea was interfering with GPS signals or detail the extent of disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies)