2018 Japan–South Korea radar lock-on dispute


The 2018 Japan–South Korea radar lock-on dispute is about an incident between a Japanese aircraft and a South Korean vessel. The aircraft was part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, while the vessel was part of the Republic of Korea Navy. The event occurred on 20 December 2018, without the firing of any weapon, and was followed by a large diplomatic dispute between Japan and South Korea.

Incident

The Government of Japan stated a Republic of Korea Navy destroyer, ROKS Gwanggaeto the Great, allegedly directed its fire-control radar at a maritime patrol aircraft, Kawasaki P-1 belonging to the Fleet Air Wing 4 of JMSDF, which was conducting surveillance off the Noto Peninsula in the Sea of Japan on Thursday 20 December 2018 at around 3:00 p.m.. claiming that aiming the fire-control radar at a plane is violation of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, pointing out a lock with the FC radar is generally considered as a hostile act one step before actual firing. The Ministry of Defense explained the irradiation of the P-1 plane by the radar hit multiple times continuously over a certain period.
In contrast, the Government of South Korea denied Japan's claims, stating that it did not operate STIR-180 radar but MW08 radar for the rescue when the Japanese plane arrived at the site. MW08 radar is a 3D radar for medium-range air and surface surveillance, target acquisition and tracking, capable of gun control against surface targets. MW08 is regarded as an FC radar, but it is not connected with the fire-control system in the destroyer. In addition, the South Korea claimed that the aircraft made a threatening "8-shape" flight by continuously flying with 500 meter distance and 150 meter altitude while the warship was participating in the rescue of a distressed North Korean fishing boat.

Timeline

2018

, a retired general and ex-Chief of Staff of the JASDF, has given his views on his twitter denying the offensiveness of aiming FC radar. However, Toshiyuki Ito, a retired JMSDF admiral and ex-commandant of the, rebutted his view since Tamogami has been retired for ten years and has no experience as a pilot.
The Government of South Korea claimed this flight of P-1 was menacing and unfriendly to the warship of a neighbour country which was operating a rescue mission in the high seas. According to the Government of Korea, it is Japan, not Korea, if any, that acted ungentlemanly and menacingly to the neighbour country at the site and should apologize to the other. However, Paul Giarra, a retired U.S. naval aviator and ex-senior Country Director for Japan in the Office of the ASD, pointed it out that there was absolutely no danger in the actions of the Japanese aircraft.
Some Korean media are concerned about the friction between Seoul and Tokyo. On 7 January 2019, JoongAng Daily editorial argued that the two governments "should join forces to address the nuclear threats from North Korea and other urgent issues" and that "This emotional fighting does not help. Though what really happened at the moment has not yet been found, either side did not suffer substantial damage. Therefore, if Korean destroyer really aimed its FCR at the approaching airplane, our military authorities should apologize to Japan and wrap up the case. If the Japanese aircraft was really confused about the radar signal, it should apologize", and that "t is time to take a deep breath and find a reasonable solution".
While there is no international law regulating the altitude of military flights, Japan, the US Army, and NATO assert they follow the custom of the International Civil Aviation Organization to keep a distance of 150 meters from vessels under normal operations.