SEARCH FOR N. KOREAN UAVs UNDERWAY

[Anchor Lead]

Continuing with news on North Korea's provocation yesterday. The South Korean military has begun search operations to find the U.A.Vs which disappeared from South Korea's radar while flying to the west of Ganghwado Island, believing that the drones could have crashed on South Korean territory or waters. The Joint Chiefs of Staff will also inspect the local military unit's response.

[Pkg]

Four North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles have disappeared from South Korea's radar while flying to the west of Ganghwado Island. The military has reportedly launched search operations believing the drones could have crashed on South Korean territory or in waters off the South as it has in the past. The military plans to collect and analyze the drones to find out how far North Korea has come in its drone development and whether it intended to violate South Korean airspace. The Joint Chiefs of Staff will also inspect the local military unit's response. It will look into whether the unit followed the guidelines and acted in a timely manner as well as what needs to be improved in similar situations. Earlier, the military expressed concerns over civilian safety. Measures are needed urgently to prevent such incidents as none of the five North Korean drones were brought down when they infringed on South Korean airspace. Many are calling for measures to capture North Korean drones headed for South Korea in advance and intercepting them as soon as they cross the military demarcation line.

[Soundbite] Yang Uk(Asan Institute for Policy Studies) : "Unlike regular military operations, the response to miniature drones is similar to anti-terror operations, and using the existing the military weapons system would be inappropriate."

The latest drone provocation is apparently aimed at bolstering the North's reconnaissance assets, which Pyongyang currently lacks. It is also being viewed as Pyongyang's attempt to invalidate the inter-Korean military agreement by violating South Korea's airspace, just like it did by firing artillery shots in the maritime buffer zone.