North Korea has accused South Korea of violating its sovereignty through drone incursions, warning that Seoul should be prepared to “pay a high price” for what it describes as provocations. The allegations were made on Saturday, with North Korean officials asserting that there were drone activities from the South both in September 2023 and earlier this week. South Korea’s defense ministry promptly rejected these claims, stating that its military did not operate drones on the specified dates.
A spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army denounced South Korea as the “most hostile” enemy, claiming that despite overtures for dialogue, Seoul has continued to engage in provocative actions. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the spokesperson emphasized, “The Republic of Korea (ROK) should be ready to pay a high price for having committed another provocation of infringing on the sovereignty of the DPRK with a drone.”
On January 4, 2024, North Korean military forces reportedly captured and tracked a drone that had entered its airspace from Ganghwa County in South Korea. The drone was allegedly struck by electronic warfare equipment and fell in Muksan-ri, near the border town of Kaesong. Additionally, North Korea claims that on September 27, 2023, another drone from South Korea was downed while returning from an incursion into Phyongsan County.
The North’s military spokesperson described the drone that crashed this week as equipped with surveillance devices, asserting that it had flown for more than three hours at a distance of 156 kilometers. North Korea released images purportedly showing debris from the drones and recordings believed to have been captured by the unmanned aerial vehicles. The spokesperson characterized South Korea’s actions as akin to those of “Kiev’s lunatics,” drawing a parallel to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
In response, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back labeled North Korea’s accusations as “absolutely not true.” He noted that the drones showcased in the North’s photos do not match any models operated by the South Korean military. The defense ministry confirmed that President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter, with relevant agencies currently verifying the claims.
Experts have weighed in, suggesting that the drones displayed by North Korea likely do not belong to any military apparatus, instead appearing to be constructed from inexpensive components not suitable for military use. In October 2024, North Korea announced that it had detected South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korea propaganda over Pyongyang three times, threatening retaliatory actions if such incidents persist.
The accusations from North Korea come at a time when leader Kim Jong-un has described inter-Korean relations as those of “two states hostile to each other.” Since taking office in June, President Lee’s administration has been attempting to repair relations with North Korea and resume diplomatic dialogue. Analysts believe that North Korea is solidifying its hardline position against Seoul in anticipation of an important party congress scheduled for January or February.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, indicated that North Korea is likely to formalize its stance of “two hostile states” during the upcoming party congress. This could include revisions to the constitution during a key parliamentary meeting in the first half of the year, reinforcing the North’s strategic posture in the region.
The ongoing tensions between North and South Korea reflect broader issues in their relationship, highlighting the challenges both nations face in navigating sovereignty, security, and diplomatic engagement.