South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday that any provocation by North Korea must be met with retaliation without hesitation despite North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons.
His comment comes after five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea on Monday, prompting South Korea's military to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters to try to shoot them down, in the first such intrusion since 2017.
"We must punish and retaliate against any provocation by North Korea. That is the most powerful means to deter provocations," Yoon said in a meeting with his aides, according to his press secretary Kim Eun-hye.
"We must not fear or hesitate because North Korea has nuclear weapons," he said.
Monday's intrusion triggered criticism in South Korea of its air
defences. Yoon blamed the military, in particular its failure to bring
down the drones while they flew over South Korea for hours.
South Korea responded on Monday by sending drones over North Korea for three hours.
South Korea's military has apologised for its response and said it could not shoot down the drones because they were too small.
Relations between North Korea and South Korea have been tensed for
decades but have grown even more tense since Yoon's conservative
government took over in May promising a tougher line with North Korea.
Earlier on Wednesday, South Korea's defence ministry announced plans to spend 560 billion won ($441.26 million) over the next five years to improve its defences against drones, including the development of an airborne laser weapon and a signal jammer.
South Korea will also expand its drone capabilities to three squadrons.
