Science ministry holds anti-GPS jamming drill

A sign of Ministry of Science and ICT at its headquarters in Sejong / Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICT

The science ministry on Tuesday held a drill against the jamming of the global positioning system (GPS) by hostile forces, in line with efforts to beef up preparedness against such emerging threats.

The drill, carried out with the military and mobile carriers, came as part of a four-day nationwide civil defense exercise that kicked off Monday, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The training was held under a scenario in which a moving vessel at sea attempted GPS jamming, rather than from a fixed location on land, to prepare for various possibilities.

The drill also utilized the Air Force's detection drone, as well as Navy and Coast Guard vessels, to rescue ships stranded due to GPS jamming.

"As we can observe from international conflicts, GPS jamming can cause severe damage to both the private sector and the military," Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said.

"To prevent such jamming from leading to major damage, relevant government ministries need to work closely to respond to GPS jamming without disruption."