The South Korean military will conduct joint air defense drills on countering North Korean small drone threats this week, amid growing concerns about the DPRK’s development of suicide drones and operational experience gained from joining combat against Ukraine.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a press release on Wednesday that the quarterly air defense training exercise will take place Thursday afternoon, mobilizing various military assets on the east and west coast as well as “rear positions.”

The drill will simulate responses to potential “provocations” involving multiple small North Korean drones infiltrating South Korean territory by both land and