Moon says preceding gov't established anti-drone system

This photo, provided by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, shows former President Moon Jae-in speaking to party leader Lee Jae-myung at his retirement home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, about 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, Jan. 2. Yonhap

Former President Moon Jae-in has said his administration established a system to counter North Korean drone infiltrations, according to officials of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.

Moon made the remarks when DPK leaders visited his home in the southeastern city of Yangsan on Monday, apparently in response to criticism from President Yoon Suk-yeol that the North's recent drone infiltration revealed how Seoul's military readiness and exercises have been "greatly lacking" over the years.

"Former President Moon said the government had introduced radars and prepared substantially with regard to countering drones," a DPK official who met Moon on Monday told Yonhap News Agency.

Another official quoted Moon as saying that the government had installed air defense radars to cope with North Korean drones and that the military had prepared against such attacks for 20 years and boasts substantial capacity.

DPK Rep. Seo Young-kyo, who attended Monday's meeting, said in a KBS radio interview that Moon voiced concern over the security lapse and stressed the importance of "solid peace."

Former DPK chief Lee Nak-yon, who served as prime minister during the Moon administration, meanwhile, took a swipe at the ruling party over what he called "reckless" remarks on North Korean issues.

"They speak too recklessly about war," Lee wrote on Facebook. "Security cannot be earned through big talk." (Yonhap)