Inside the Rapid Response of Seoul’s Anti-Aircraft Brigade

A Report from the Yeouido Anti-Aircraft Base

“An enemy drone is on sight! A drone on sight!”

On the afternoon of the 14th, an air defense position affiliated with the 1st Air Defense Brigade of the Army Capital Defense Command reported a situation from the rooftop of the tallest building in Yeouido, Seoul. Its high-speed command center disseminated information indicating the infiltration of a drone, believed to be a small North Korean unmanned aerial vehicle, into downtown Seoul through the airspace over the Han River.

When the emergency was declared, seven or eight soldiers quickly rushed up, wearing combat uniforms and helmets over their gym clothes. They had been exercising in the fitness room, three floors below the rooftop. When the emergency was declared, they put on combat uniforms and helmets over their gym clothes and ran up 122 stairs within two minutes.

They quickly identified a virtual North Korean small-sized unmanned aircraft about 1.2 miles away in the air over the Dangsan Railway Bridge. They shot it down in the air about 0.6 miles away as soon as it entered the effective range of the Vulcan cannons. That day, 30 rounds of 20mm mock training ammunition were fired from each of the two Vulcan cannons. The Vulcan cannons, an old weapon system introduced in the 1970s, can pour out up to 3,000 rounds of 20mm machine gun ammunition per minute and shoot down enemy aircraft or drones up to 1.4 miles away. It has been improved to detect targets even at night.

In addition to the Vulcan cannons, this anti-aircraft base also has the domestically produced portable anti-aircraft missile Shingung. Shingung can shoot down enemy aircraft and drones about 1.9 to 3.1 miles away. This anti-aircraft base conducts such training exercises twice a day in preparation for the infiltration of small, North Korean unmanned aircraft. It is the first time this latest anti-aircraft base, which was moved to a different skyscraper in Yeouido a few years ago, has been revealed to the press.

In addition to Yeouido, several anti-aircraft bases are installed on the rooftops of several high-rise buildings in Seoul to neutralize the infiltration of aircraft and drones from North Korea. They are known as “GOPs on Buildings” because they are like having GOPs (General Outposts) at the frontlines in the heart of Seoul. In the past, there was a GOP on Building in dozens of places on top of high-rise buildings in downtown Seoul, but now the number has significantly decreased.

It is easy to think that the working conditions at a GOP on Building in downtown Seoul would be much better than at the frontline or other harsh locations, but the reality is not so much. For them, the metropolis is a “pie in the sky,” even though they can view its cityscape day and night right before their eyes. They cannot move freely because even going to the floor immediately below is considered desertion. The base members have to live only within the unit, which is about 400 square meters, on the very top floor of the building. Their living space consists of a dormitory (a living quarter), a dining hall, a fitness center, a situation room, and a bathroom (laundry room).

They serve for eight weeks (two months) in a building and then for 16 weeks (four months) on the ground. In the past, they worked for 12 weeks (three months) in a GOP Building and then for six weeks on the ground, but the period of work in a building has been reduced considering the hardships of the soldiers.

The Yeouido anti-aircraft base, opened to the public this time, is in the latest smart building. Hence, the facilities are of good quality, and the supplies, such as bedding and officer quarter’s furniture, are also in good condition. Warrant Officer Oh Min-hyuk, the base commander, said, “We often go down below the building after work hours and do group jumping jacks to reduce the soldiers’ stress.” Private First Class Kim Seok-jun said, “Physically, we are close to downtown Seoul, but mentally, we are far away. If the citizens of the capital area can sleep safely thanks to our sacrifice, that’s our reward.”

The Capital Defense Command has been deploying new weapons, such as the wheeled self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Cheonho, enhancing the response system, and conducting a training exercise in preparation against drones, the same North Korean small-sized unmanned aircraft intrusion as in December 2022. Cheonho is a 30mm machine gun mounted on the 8-wheeled domestically manufactured armored vehicle K808, which can drop enemy aircraft or drones up to 1.9 miles away. It is the latest weapon introduced in 2019. The military authorities expect it to be more effective in intercepting drones when equipped with jammers (radio jamming equipment) in the future.

Lee Man-hee, commander of the 1st Anti-aircraft Brigade of the Capital Defense Command, said, “Considering the lack of manpower along with management and supply issues, the anti-aircraft bases under the Capital Defense Command are small and scattered in many areas. To remedy this, we plan to introduce unmanned systems in the future actively.” He added, “The anti-drone system, including laser weapons and jammers, is also planned to be added.”