North Korea’s military recently completed final tests on a new “GPS jamming device” for use against South Korea and is preparing its deployment into the field, Daily NK has learned.
The Bureau of Weapons Review, an organization affiliated with the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces, submitted a report to North Korea’s military leadership stating that the new jamming device can be deployed in the field, a North Korean source told Daily NK on Apr. 23.
The bureau examines and determines the possibility of deploying all strategic and tactical weapons jointly developed by the country’s research institutes and military-related factories.
GPS jamming involves using a frequency emitting device to interfere with radio communications and can be used to jam phones, text messages, wi-fi networks and GPS systems.
The bureau’s report stated that following careful reviews of the device since early January, final tests of the device on Apr. 11 confirmed that the device is “stable” enough to be deployed into the field.
The report also stated that the device possesses more advanced and refined attack capabilities than past devices.
The conclusions of the report suggest that North Korea may embark on more aggressive jamming related activities toward South Korea than in the past.
Indeed, North Korea’s development of this new device appears aimed at attacking communication systems used by South Korea and between US and South Korean military forces.
Now that the device has been deemed “stable,” it is expected to be deployed throughout the military from next month, Daily NK’s source said. Specifically, North Korea may aim to quickly deploy the device within the military’s electronic warfare division and the Electronic Reconnaissance Bureau 121 (Cyber Warfare Agency) under the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), which is responsible for jamming operations against South Korea.
*Translated by Jason Bartlett
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