South Korea blames North Korea for over 300 GPS disruptions this month

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - South Korea on Sunday claimed it has identified over 300 cases of GPS disruptions allegedly caused by longtime rival North Korea this month, however "no major issues or damage occurred."

The Ministry of Science and ICT accused North Korea of being the source of 331 cases of GPS disruptions reported this month, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

The ministry said it had "consistently detected radio interference originating from the Kaepung and Haeju areas of North Korea," which involves transmitting jamming signals within the GPS frequency band, disrupting the use of GPS signals.

Of 331 interference cases recorded during the first 10 days of November, 279 targeted airplanes and 52 affected ships. However, no damage was reported as a result of the disruptions, the ministry added.

The ministry has been operating a continuous monitoring system in coordination with the land and maritime ministries to ensure the safety of air and sea travel, it added.

South Korea on Saturday claimed that North Korea is jamming its GPS system, demanding that Pyongyang "immediately halt the GPS provocation."

In June, South Korea raised the North's repeated GPS jamming with three relevant international agencies -- the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) -- requesting due measures against the provocations.

North Korea is a member of the ITU, ICAO and IMO.

Tension on Korean Peninsula has further grown after recent missile launches by North Korea and South Korea and Seoul-Washington joint military drills.