It makes me wonder if there is any legal mechanism that can be used to address something like this considering how important GPS has become in today’s modern society? Would the ROK be justified to launch a military strike to destroy GPS jammers if North Korea is properly warned and still does not stop? What would the US do if someone in Mexico just started jamming GPS in southern California and the Mexican government did nothing to stop it?
North Korea on Thursday tried to disrupt South Korean global positioning satellite signals as the leaders of the South, the U.S. and Japan met in Washington to discuss the North’s nuclear program.
The disruptions could cause mobile communication devices to malfunction and affect airplanes and ships that depend on GPS.
The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said it issued warnings in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province as North Korea discharged a large amounts of radio waves to jam GPS signals.
Once the jamming waves were detected at around 7:30 p.m., government officials met to assess the impact. The signals were traced to Haeju and Mt. Kumgang in North Korea.
“No damage of involving mobile communications and ships has been detected,” a ministry official said. “Two airplanes experienced disruptions in signals, but their flight operations were not affected.”
A government official said the North has been sending test waves since last month. [Chosun Ilbo]
