On March 23, a Surion helicopter from the Army's 15th Aviation Brigade, part of the 5th Corps, crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) while responding to a wildfire, according to an inspection report submitted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Rep. Kang Sun-young of the National Defense Committee on September 21.
The helicopter pilots reportedly misidentified their location while visually navigating, leading them to enter the area of responsibility of the 25th Division under the 1st Corps without proper authorization.
Military aircraft must obtain prior approval from the United Nations Command and notify North Korea before entering the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). However, the helicopter entered the DMZ and conducted suppression operations without following these procedures, ultimately crossing the MDL.
The ground control units also failed to respond adequately. Both the Army's Ground Operations Command and the 1st and 5th Corps were unaware of the incursion until they received notification from the Air Force's Central Air Defense Command (MCRC).
The inspection revealed that the 5th Corps neglected helicopter tracking and control due to excessive workload, while the 1st Corps focused on wildfire response and failed to identify the adjacent unit's helicopter. The Joint Chiefs of Staff also found that information sharing and control between units were insufficient.
Based on the findings, the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a 'warning' to the 1st and 5th Corps and a 'caution' to the Ground Operations Command, while disciplinary procedures for the helicopter pilots are currently underway.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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