Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called on the military to make full preparations for a successful launch of its drone operations command later this year to respond "effectively and overwhelmingly" to North Korean drone provocations.

Han made the remarks while presiding over a weekly Cabinet meeting during which a bill on the establishment of the drone operations command was approved.

He asked the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to "make every effort to ensure the new drone command can be launched without a hitch so that it can carry out perfect operations early."

"Late last year, North Korea used unmanned aircraft to trespass into our airspace. Provocations that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula have not stopped even recently," Han said, stressing a thorough response posture to overwhelmingly deter any provocation from the North.

He also said any attempt by the North to shake South Korea and the international community will never succeed.

The drone operations command is scheduled to be established in September to carry out various missions by utilizing the unmanned aircraft, including surveillance and reconnaissance, psychological warfare, electromagnetic warfare, and strike operations, according to the defense ministry. (Yonhap)