By Shim Jae-yun
Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday it believes the mysterious drone found on the border island of Baengnyeong seems to have come from North Korea, though a final determination has yet to be made.
The drone was detected Monday on the disputed island when North Korea fired around 100 artillery rounds into the West Sea. The finding caused stirs as it looked similar the one found in Paju, Gyeonggi Province near the border line in February.
Speculation has had it that the drone had even flown over the presidential office in central Seoul, of which pictures have allegedly been captured by intelligence authorities.
Cheong Wa Dae has been collaborating with military and intelligence officials with focus on the possible involvement of North Korea in the case.
Chong Wa Dae spokesman Min Kyung-wook said the presidential office will work closely with the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service to come with measures to tackle the possible further provocation form the North.
"The steps will feature how to detect North Korea's possible infiltration by drones and other radar-evading small aircraft," Min said.
In the meantime, U.S. experts claimed Monday that the drone, if confirmed to belong to North Korea, would show the reclusive nation's relevant technology remains rudimentary.
The drone stems from old Western technology seen in countries like Syria, according to Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., co-founder of Colorado-based intelligence contractor AllSource Analysis.
In an interview with NBC News, he said, "North Korea has had drones for a number of years now. This one looks like it has had a modified fuselage and been fitted with a camera --. Imagine a model airplane with a camera. It seems to have some characteristics of other North Korean drones we know about."
.jpg/dims/resize/740/optimize) |
| Wreckage from an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that crashed on Baengnyeong Island, Monday. / Yonhap |
The drone was detected Monday on the disputed island when North Korea fired around 100 artillery rounds into the West Sea. The finding caused stirs as it looked similar the one found in Paju, Gyeonggi Province near the border line in February.
Speculation has had it that the drone had even flown over the presidential office in central Seoul, of which pictures have allegedly been captured by intelligence authorities.
Cheong Wa Dae has been collaborating with military and intelligence officials with focus on the possible involvement of North Korea in the case.
Chong Wa Dae spokesman Min Kyung-wook said the presidential office will work closely with the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Service to come with measures to tackle the possible further provocation form the North.
"The steps will feature how to detect North Korea's possible infiltration by drones and other radar-evading small aircraft," Min said.
In the meantime, U.S. experts claimed Monday that the drone, if confirmed to belong to North Korea, would show the reclusive nation's relevant technology remains rudimentary.
The drone stems from old Western technology seen in countries like Syria, according to Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., co-founder of Colorado-based intelligence contractor AllSource Analysis.
In an interview with NBC News, he said, "North Korea has had drones for a number of years now. This one looks like it has had a modified fuselage and been fitted with a camera --. Imagine a model airplane with a camera. It seems to have some characteristics of other North Korean drones we know about."
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