Reports: North Korea jamming South's air traffic navigation
A Korean Air jet makes a landing at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Wednesday.
May 3rd, 2012
12:26 PM ET

Reports: North Korea jamming South's air traffic navigation

North Korea has been busy for the past week, trying to jam the navigation signals going to civilian aircraft over South Korea, according to reports in South Korean media.

Through Wednesday afternoon, the GPS satellite signals to more than 250 aircraft have been affected, the Chosun Ilbo reported, citing South Korea's Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Ministry.

Planes from Korean Air, Japan Airlines, FedEx, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways have been affected, Bloomberg news reported, citing the Land Ministry.

The jamming began April 28, according to a report from Dong-A Ilbo.

The planes have been able to use other systems to keep on their courses, according to the reports.

The planes affected were either taking off or landing at Incheon or Gimpo international airports or flying over the central region of the country, according to the reports.

The jamming signals were coming from the Kaesong area of North Korea, Chosun Ilbo reported, citing a staffer at the Korea Communications Commission.

The jamming comes after North Korea threatened to initiate "special actions" aimed at destroying the South Korean president and his government.

North Korean armed forces will use "unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style" to carry out the actions, the official Korean Central News Agency said in a report.

It did not specify what those actions would involve.

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Filed under: North Korea • South Korea
soundoff (208 Responses)
  1. saywhat

    They seem to be playing a dangerous game. To what purpose?

    May 3, 2012 at 12:44 pm | Report abuse |
    • Scuba Steve

      Because they know the rest of the World is to scared to do anything about it

      May 3, 2012 at 1:09 pm | Report abuse |
    • john

      to their own demise, the fools.

      May 3, 2012 at 1:12 pm | Report abuse |
  2. CenTexan©

    Not very smart thing to do North Korea! They are always "poking" South Korea to see how far they can be pushed. One of these days they are going to be "poked" back!

    May 3, 2012 at 12:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Scuba Steve

      North Korea would smash South Korea into little tiny pieces, but if they ever attacked South Korea, then the US would smashed Korea into tiny little pieces

      May 3, 2012 at 1:10 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Jeff in San Diego

    The day we leave South Korea is the day North Korea is finished. The South will immediately attack and wipe north Korea off the map.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • MrSkippy

      Assuming China or Russia doesn't "come to the rescue"

      May 3, 2012 at 1:09 pm | Report abuse |
    • John in WNY

      MrSkippy,

      Russia likely wouldn't, China on the otherhand would although we should let them know that if they involved side with North Korea we will drastically increase arms sales to Taiwan and will start negotiating with Taiwan to base US forces in their country.

      May 3, 2012 at 1:38 pm | Report abuse |
  4. 808

    @saywhat: They have been playing the game for 50 years. There are never any real reprecussions. Why would they stop playing?

    May 3, 2012 at 1:07 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Shaun

    Bad enough to be pulling a stunt like this that will do nothing to anyone except civilians, but to do it incompetently.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • Scuba Steve

      They are trying to bait South Korea into doing something dumb, so they can look like the victims to the rest of the World.

      May 3, 2012 at 1:12 pm | Report abuse |
  6. brian

    somebody oughta block north korea's toilets.... let them swim in their own mess

    May 3, 2012 at 1:12 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Phil

    I guess North Korea is trying to disrupt others' air travel, since their attempt at air travel fell apart after 81 seconds. Misery loves company.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:13 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Psychologist

    Desperate times call for desperate measures, don't they? Missles, arms, fireworks, newly-built statues ot the Kims, way to go, NK, while your people are dying. Let's hope it all does not backfire...somehow, someway.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:15 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Cybergod

    North Korea is really getting annoying. World civilian traffic has got nothing to do with North and South's little unending clash. North needs to watch out. If the US does not intervene soon I think other "organizations" with private firepower will show North Korea what it's all about soon enough!

    May 3, 2012 at 1:16 pm | Report abuse |
  10. W0ofy

    Dear Leader Jr. appears to be getting awfully chippy for someone who was begging for food 3 months ago.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:16 pm | Report abuse |
  11. More Ammo Please.

    What is America going to do? Nothing.Just look back at the Pueblo incident.All we did was try to send in negotiators and talk.They get away with everything because we are afraid of the political fall out from the rest of the world. I say just let em fight it out.That way there should be an end to this crap from the North all the time. I spent a year on a missile site on the DMZ and I can tell ya the North are Brave they will do whatever they are told to do. The North is a puppet of China and the South holds back because we are their telling them there is a diplomatic solution to everything.Get real and let em fight it out.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:17 pm | Report abuse |
  12. banasy©

    North Korea should learn not to bite the hands that feeds them...

    May 3, 2012 at 1:19 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Richard

    Their radar installations should be destroyed.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Report abuse |
  14. citizenUSA

    If they had enough food they might try crapping all over the world.

    May 3, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Sam Dawson

    Can someone jam that north korean leader's behind hole with a hot iron rod?

    May 3, 2012 at 1:22 pm | Report abuse |
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