South Korea plans to upgrade preparedness after unchecked North Korea’s drone incursion

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday said that the country will boost its readiness to respond to airspace intrusions after five drones of North Korea crossed the border and could not be shot down by the military.Fighter jets were deployed by South Korea's military after the airspace intrusion by North Korea's drones on Monday as one of the drones flew close to the capital.

However, even after carrying out a five-hour-long operation, the North Korean drones were not shot down which led to the South Korean military's widespread criticism and the military issued an apology.

On Thursday, President Yoon said that the situation was "intolerable" and added that the government should make Pyongyang "realise that provocations are always met with harsh consequences".

"In order for us to achieve peace, we need to make overwhelmingly superior war preparations," he added, while speaking during his visit to the state-run Agency for Defence Development.

"The overall response system against all flying objects invading our airspace, on top of drones, must be re-examined to quickly make up for any deficiencies," he added.

Earlier this week, Yoon criticised the way the incident was handled by the military and called for accelerating the plan for launching a drone unit, in which advanced stealth models will be included for carrying out surveillance on important military facilities in Pyongyang.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Thursday said that exercises, focused on drones, will be staged.

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For the first time in five years, the drones of Pyongyang made an air incursion into the airspace of South. This year, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, said that he aims to make his country the most powerful nuclear force in the world, and said that the country is an "irreversible" nuclear state.

President Yoon said that nuclear weapons of North Korea would not affect the response of Seoul to any future provocations by Pyongyang.

"Regardless of whether the opponent has nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction, we should give a clear message to those who are provoking," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)