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South Korea Mulls Purchase of Israeli Sky Spotter Early Warning System

© AP Photo / South Korea Defense Ministry South Korean fighter jets F15K and Americain fighter jets F-16 on joint military drills
 South Korean fighter jets F15K and Americain fighter jets F-16 on joint military drills  - Sputnik International, 1920, 08.01.2023
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - South Korea is considering the purchase of the Israeli early warning electro optical Sky Spotter system, which helps detect and track aerial objects, such as drones, South Korean media reported, citing a defense source in Seoul.
In the coming weeks, the South Korean military plans to decide whether to formally request the purchase of the system following a review on its effectiveness in countering Pyongyang's drone threats.
In December, a group of drones believed to be North Korean crossed the inter-Korean border. South Korea tried to shoot the drones down and scrambled fighter jets and helicopters to intercept them. One of the aircraft, a KA-1 light attack plane, reportedly crashed during takeoff.
Four small North Korean drones flew near Ganghwado Island in South Korea, and another flew up to the northern region of the metropolitan agglomeration, including Seoul. South Korean media later said that one drone managed to return back to the North, while the remaining four disappeared from radars.
The South Korean Defense Ministry called the violation of the country's airspace by North Korean drones a provocation and pledged to respond. At the same time, the ministry said that the North Korean drones could not have obtained any meaningful information.
Relations between North Korea and South Korea began to deteriorate over the past two years. In December 2022 Yoon Suk-yeol administration officially re-labeled North Korea as an enemy – a mark which was previously lifted by Yoon Suk- yeol predecessor Moon Jae-in. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared that his country will boost nuclear arsenal “exponentially”. In addition, he accused United States of creating “Asian version” of NATO by forging the alliance with Japan and South Korea.
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