Private think tanks to take lead in fighting GPS jamming

Private think tanks in South Korea will lead the development of technology for preventing jamming of global positioning system, or GPS.

The Korea Communications Commission in Seoul will also conduct a crackdown to curb the production and sale of GPS jamming devices, which are illegally sold in the market.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute said Wednesday that it started a project to develop technologies allowing detection of GPS jamming and locating its origin.

Lee Sang-wook, chief of the GPS research team at the institute, said, “We will develop low-cost equipment that can quickly detect where GPS jamming originates,” adding, “We will conduct the research project over the next three years.”

The Daejeon-based think tank will focus its research on technology that can promptly detect and trace GPS jamming.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute also started last year a research on “technology for tracing electro-wave threats for assuring safe aircraft takeoff and landing,” which can cope with electro wave interference by civilian air carriers.

Heo Moon-beom, chief of the GPS navigation team at the institute, said, “Aircraft can safely take off and land only when accurate location data is available,” adding, “We plan to develop a technology for use by the private sector within five years.”

After The Dong-A Ilbo carried a report saying anyone in the private sector can commit GPS jamming as done by North Korea in March, the Korea Communications Commission announced Wednesday a crackdown on GPS jamming devices illegally traded via online shopping malls or other channels.

wonc@donga.com