Pyongyang: North Korea’s defense ministry accused South Korea’s military of sending drones into its airspace for political motives, describing it as an infringement on its sovereignty, according to state media outlet KCNA on Monday. The ministry released the findings of its investigation, asserting that South Korean drones had crossed over Pyongyang at least three times this month, allegedly to distribute anti-North leaflets. Additionally, KCNA published images of what it claimed to be a crashed South Korean military drone.
In analyzing the drone’s flight control program, North Korean officials reported discovering over 230 flight plans and logs dating back to June 2023. These included a scheme to scatter “political motivational rubbish.” One record from October 8 indicated that the drone departed from the South’s border island of Baengnyeongdo late at night and released leaflets over key government buildings in Pyongyang just hours later.
Seoul’s defense ministry has yet to comment but has previously stated that Pyongyang’s unilateral claims are “not worth verifying or responding to.” A spokesperson from North Korea warned of a “merciless offensive” response should such incidents occur again, according to KCNA.
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Tensions between the two Koreas have escalated since the North began sending balloons filled with trash into the South in late May, prompting the South to resume loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts. Moreover, Seoul and Washington reported that North Korea has dispatched approximately 3,000 troops to Russia for potential deployment in Ukraine, which could signify a significant escalation in their conflict. Pyongyang declared on Friday that any decision to send troops to support Russia would be in accordance with international law.
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