In its latest provocation,
North Korea is jamming signals from the Global Positioning System. The
disruptions are affecting air and naval traffic near the demilitarized zone
that separates North and South Korea, and are yet another provocation from the
unpredictable regime of Kim Jong-un.
South Korean government
officials report that the jamming operation, which began in late March, has
been targeting aircraft navigation equipment. North Korea has reportedly
broadcast a jamming signal on 100 occasions. A total of 962 planes have been
affected by the jamming, as well as nearly 700 fishing vessels. The jamming has
also affected cell phone base stations.
South Korean officials stress
that the attacks haven't lead to any serious GPS disruptions, as aircraft can
also use the older Inertial Navigation System (INS). INS doesn't rely on
outside signals and is jam-proof.
North Korea developed its GPS
jamming capability in response to GPS-guided weapons that could be used by
South Korean and U.S. forces in the event of war. The country maintains a
regiment-sized GPS jamming unit near the capital of Pyongyang and
battalion-sized units near the demilitarized zone. Jamming in 2012 was traced
to the town of Kaesong, just over the border.