JoongAng Ilbo

A drone stirs the skies above Seoul. On December 26, the South Korean military detected a North Korean drone intruding on its airspace, but was unable to intercept it with fighter jets, helicopters or anti-aircraft fire. He is said to have returned only after simple reconnaissance and photographs, but it is terrifying to imagine North Korean drones carrying bombs or spraying biological and chemical weapons over Seoul.

The “era of drone warfare” is opening, as seen in the Ukrainian war where suicide drones were mobilized. So how far have North Korea’s drone capabilities developed and how far can the South Korean military respond? Hong Sung-pyo, director of the Office of Defense and Military Strategy at the Korea Institute of Military Affairs, the nation’s top drone expert, stressed that North Korea’s ability to respond to killer drones needs to be greatly expanded. . After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Hong worked as a transport aircraft pilot (L-2), was transferred to the reserve forces as a colonel at the end of his term as a professor at the National Defense Academy, and also served serving as a professor in Asia University’s National Defense Digital Fusion Department.

— “Drone War Era” has arrived.

“Early in the Ukrainian war, the United States supplied 700 Switchblade drones, while Russia rushed to order and deploy 2,400 Iranian-made Shahed 136 drones. It’s efficient if you think about it. It’s a cheap suicide drone, but it’s not easy to defend yourself, so it’s a weapon with an excellent price/performance ratio.”

— Competition between the US and China is also fierce.

“Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technology, made possible by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, are being combined, and state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicles are playing an active role. Equipped with 14 Hellfire rockets on drones, the joint drone operation eliminated about 5,000 terrorists Jihadi Jon (Muhammad Emwazi) in Syria in 2015 and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force in Iraq in 2020. General Soleimani was killed instantly by a US military drone strike last year.China has launched a killer drone that can shoot down small, low-flying, low-flying high-speed drones flying at speeds of 200 kilometers per hour and an altitude of less than 1 kilometer from a short distance with a high-power laser beam.

— What is the level of North Korean drones?

“It is estimated that they have about 500 aircraft. Most of them are reconnaissance aircraft for video intelligence acquisition. There are probably about 10 suicide drones such as MQM-107D and TU-143. Chinese technology is used. The drone discovered in 2014 it was at an entry level with an engine displacement of 35cc and fuel of 4.5 liters. North Korea will likely focus on protecting attack drones from China, Russia and even Iran.

–What is North Korea’s intention behind this provocation?

“It was for reconnaissance, not for attack. It seems that the local provocation was a large retaliation and covert reconnaissance with a drone. I shot it without being shot down, but it penetrated and was discovered, and the South Korean drone this time, the drone has been used for photography, but because it flies to a specific target, it can be used for attack if it is used to target a specific target. It can be equipped with high explosives and biochemical weapons and operated, but having biochemical weapons would be a war crime.”

— Isn’t the drone invasion a violation of the military agreement?

“This is a violation of the ceasefire agreement and the September 19 military agreement, which prohibited hostile acts. The no-fly zone extends up to 10km. In response to North Korea’s provocation, the military South Korean allegedly sent an unmanned aerial vehicle (Peregrine Falcon) to a height of 5 km above the north to carry out a reconnaissance flight.

— How do you see the response of the South Korean army?

“I should have shot down the drone that violated our airspace, but it is very disappointing. Pilots should shoot down without considering other things. Pilots should shoot down even if they sacrifice their life. It is impossible to think about various things and waste the right time .

— There was an eavesdropping system, but it couldn’t be used.

“In 2014, a North Korean drone photographed Cheongwadae (South Korea’s presidential office), and in 2015, we launched a detection and interception asset that can detect drones at a range of up to 20 kilometers and shoot them down within 3 kilometers. However, during the Moon Jae-in administration, he was reportedly never able to conduct training.In 2018, President Moon ordered the formation of a four-company “Dronebot Combat Team.” equipped with weapons and equipment.It is said that the light KA-1 was deceived by the fact that it was organized only with words and had no follow-up measures.it was deployed and crashed.In the past five years, the readiness of the army has completely collapsed.”

— Why did the response system become like this?

“I was in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province that day, and when I heard the noise of planes and looked at the sky, I saw four military aircraft (two KA-1 light attack aircraft and two fighters) flying. it was supposed to be sent to intercept North Korean drones flying over Seoul (above Gwangjin-gu) along the Han River from the west, but they failed to fire. However, to shoot down a 2-meter drone, there was no choice but to use a strategy with a low price/performance ratio, maybe I didn’t do it for me

–What does it mean?

“I think it is because of the influence of the Moon Jae-in administration. We have been giving spiritual education to our soldiers every week for the past five years and we must avoid a confrontation between North and South at all costs. The battalion commanders of the units of frontline use these words as a habit. It is natural for soldiers to have the attitude of crushing the enemy when they see him. The unit maintains a cutting edge. However, if you emphasize “peaceful” and lose your sharp edge, you will hesitate and you’ll lose your timing worrying about your surroundings. it shouldn’t”

“Five years of the Moon administration, injecting ‘peace’ into the military…Allowing North Korean drones to invade” (2)

Following the US military, the Chinese military released a photo of US military reconnaissance aircraft as they flew close to each other in the South China Sea up to 6 meters apart. Prior to this, the US military released statements and videos criticizing the threatening flights of Chinese fighter jets, and after claiming that US reconnaissance aircraft provided the cause, the videos were also released.

The US Indo-Pacific Command said on the 29th of last month that a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy J-11 fighter was dangerous about 6 meters from the nose of a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft during routine operations on the high seas of the South China Sea. In response, the US military reconnaissance aircraft performed an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision. The headquarters then released a video of a J11 fighter flying past the window of a US reconnaissance aircraft.

In response, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command said the US reconnaissance aircraft suddenly changed its flight direction and caused the Chinese fighter to drift to the left. This has had a serious impact on security,” he said. A related video has also been released.

The footage, shot from a Chinese J11 fighter jet, shows a US reconnaissance aircraft approaching the J11 fighter’s right wing.

A highlights of the new Omicron XBB strain. 1.5 is spreading fast. It is said to have the strongest immune evasion among existing low-level mutant strains of Omicron, and US health authorities are nervous.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the 2nd (local time), as of the 31st of last month, XBB. It has been revealed that 1.5 account for 40.5% of all cases of new coronavirus (new type pneumonia) infection. That’s a figure that nearly doubled in one week from last month’s 21.7% to 24%.

XBB extension. 1.5 was called “Stealth Omicron” BA. It is a subordinate system of XBB derived from 2. After first being identified in India last August, XBB has led to a new spread in Singapore. Earlier in the United States, several sub-strains of omicron were confirmed simultaneously last fall, and it appeared to be engaged in a “dominant species competition,” but XBB. 1.5 is spreading rapidly to other variants. XBB extension. The detection rate of 1.5 reaches 75% of the total. “We expect XBB.1.5 to increase in the United States,” CDC’s Dr. Barbara Mahon told CBS.

Experts are worried about XBB. 1.5 strong immune evasion. XBB has been listed as the “worst new corona variant in existence” in terms of immune evasion, but XBB. It is an analysis that 1.5 exceeds this.

According to CNBC and other sources, virologist Andrew Pecos explained, “XBB.1.5 has an additional mutation that makes it more capable of binding to cells than other variants.” “XBB.1.5 is the most infectious and immune strain we know of so far,” said Yunlong Cao, a professor at Peking University.

Prior to this, researchers from Columbia University in the United States explained in a research paper published in the scientific journal Cell last month that “XBB substrains are threatening as they have strong resistance to booster injections of the Omicron vaccine.” Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was once concerned that “XBB sub-strains reduce the immune effect provided by booster shots.”

According to The New York Times (NYT), on a daily basis, the average number of hospitalizations for the new coronavirus in the United States over the past seven days was 44,243, up 7% from two weeks ago. in the same period there were 5,303, with an increase of 11% compared to two weeks ago. However XBB. There is no evidence that 1.5 directly induces more severe symptoms.

Under these circumstances, the rapid increase in the number of new coronavirus infections in China is raising concerns about the emergence of new mutant strains, and countries around the world are one after another embarking on restrictions on tourists from China.

Since 3, Morocco has implemented a super bullish policy to completely block entry from China regardless of nationality. An increasing number of European countries are also restricting tourists from China. France and Spain, which had initially shown a cautious attitude towards Italy’s request to adhere to the regulation, have now made it mandatory to present a certificate certifying their negativity to the new coronavirus. The UK has also moved to make it mandatory for travelers from China to undergo a COVID-19 test before boarding a plane from the 5th of this month.

The European Union (EU) held a meeting on the 29th of last month to prepare joint measures for tourists from China among its 27 member countries, but they plan to hold another meeting this week as they failed to come to a conclusion.

So far, at least 14 countries, including South Korea, the United States, Japan, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, India, Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Morocco have restricted Chinese tourists.

An animal cruelty controversy erupted when a camera captured a puppy dyed to look like Pikachu, the popular character from the Japanese anime ‘Pocket Monsters’, in the stands of American professional basketball (NBA).

According to the British newspaper Daily Star on the 27th (local time), a spectator who came to the basketball stadium of the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves that day brought a pet dog that looked like Pikachu, was dyed yellow, and the cheeks were dyed red. The tips of its ears are black and its back has a brown pattern similar to Pikachu’s.

The puppy was caught on camera during the match at the time, with a broadcaster remarking, “I don’t think the puppy was okay with that kind of tincture,” the paper said.

A video of a puppy dressed up as Pikachu went viral on Twitter and people all over the internet saw it and argued for and against.

Most people criticized the owner’s actions as animal cruelty, saying, “I’m sorry about the puppy,” “owner should be sent to jail,” and “owner seems to do anything for a ‘like’.” ”“When you dye a dog’s fur, it can cause a severe allergic reaction or stress,” she said.

On the other hand, some have countered that dyes made especially for puppies made from natural materials are not harmful to pet dogs. One person commented, “Dyeing a pet dog is like dressing up a cute baby.”

The South Korean government has released a photograph of the Kim Il Sung Square area in Pyongyang, North Korea, taken by the medium-sized satellite “National Satellite-1” on the 22nd. It has been three days since North Korea released a photo of central Seoul, purported to have been taken by a “reconnaissance satellite test product” on the 19th.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) released the satellite photos taken around Kim Il-sung Square on the same day, saying, “From the 23rd, we will open an exhibition of satellite photos taken by ‘National Land Satellite No. 1” at the National Land Development Exhibition Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. .

Photos released by the Ministry of Land and Infrastructure show Kim Il-sung Square, the People’s University, the Central Museum of Korean History and the Museum of Korean Art in Pyongyang, North Korea. It is so clear that even a single tree planted in the square can be identified with the naked eye. Contrast with the blurry black and white photos of the North Korean side. The difference in the level of satellite technology between South and North Korea has become clear.

Black and white photos released by North Korea on the 19th show downtown Seoul and the port of Incheon. Large-scale structures such as the Han River Bridge and Incheon Port could be identified, but the outlines of the Yongsan Presidential Office and the triangular area were barely distinguishable. North Korea’s official media, the Korean Central News Agency released a satellite photo, saying, “North Korea’s National Agency for Space Development said on the 18th, the West Sea satellite launch site at Dongchang-ri, Cheolsan-gun, North Pyongan Province.In the final stages of testing critical reconnaissance satellite development, a color camera and two multispectral cameras for 20-meter resolution testing, a video transmitter, transmitters and receivers for each band, a controller and a storage battery were carried. The test was conducted with a satellite test product installed such as.

On the other hand, the new generation medium-sized 500 kg “National Satellite No. 1” satellite is equipped with an optical camera with a resolution of 0.5 meters in black and white and 2 meters in colour. The South Korean government launched the satellite from Kazakhstan in March last year.