PYONGYANG: North Korea has claimed the discovery of a drone’s remains, alleging it was sent from South Korea, intensifying tensions between the two nations. The North asserts that the drone, found in Pyongyang, is of the same type displayed during South Korea’s Armed Forces Day earlier this month.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Pyongyang has accused Seoul of deploying drones to distribute anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets over the capital. However, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun stated that the allegations could not be confirmed by the South. A spokesperson from North Korea’s defense ministry reported that the Pyongyang Municipal Security Bureau located the remnants of a crashed drone in the capital on October 13. The ministry’s statement, disseminated by the Korean Central News Agency, indicated that an investigation identified the drone as a “light one for long-range reconnaissance” used by the South Korean military’s “Drone Operation Command.”
The North Korean official alleged that the
drone matched the type showcased in Seoul on October 1, during an Armed Forces Day event. Nonetheless, the North has not conclusively determined if the drone was involved in the alleged leaflet dissemination over Pyongyang. The statement warned of severe consequences, labeling any denial of the drone’s involvement as further evidence of South Korea’s airspace violations. The official criticized these actions as provocations by the “military gangsters” of the Republic of Korea (ROK), South Korea’s official name.
The spokesperson cautioned that any further breach of North Korean territory by South Korean forces would provoke an “immediate retaliatory attack.” The North’s military has ordered increased vigilance at observation posts in Pyongyang and near the border. The spokesperson emphasized that any confirmed violation by the ROK’s military would be seen as a “grave military provocation” and a “declaration of war,” warranting an immediate response. The announcement, along with images purportedly showing the
drone remains, was also reported by Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s primary newspaper.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff expressed skepticism regarding the claim, stating that it holds “no value” for a response. The current situation adds to the tensions along the inter-Korean border, which have been rising in recent weeks. North Korea has formally labeled South Korea a “hostile state,” reflecting leader Kim Jong-un’s stance to view the South as an adversary rather than a partner for reconciliation.