North Korea has accused South Korea of violating its airspace with drone incursions, warning that Seoul should be prepared to “pay a high price” for these alleged provocations. The claims, made on Saturday, assert that South Korean drones entered North Korean territory in September 2023 and again earlier this week. South Korea’s defense ministry has categorically denied these assertions, stating that its military did not deploy any drones on the dates cited by the North.
A spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army issued a statement through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), labeling South Korea as “the most hostile” enemy. The spokesperson emphasized that South Korea continues to engage in provocative actions, contradicting its public overtures for dialogue with Pyongyang. “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,” the statement read.
Details surrounding the incidents were also provided by the North Korean military. On January 4, 2024, they reported capturing an aerial target that had moved northward from South Korea’s Ganghwa County, forcing it to crash near the border city of Kaesong using specialized electronic warfare equipment. Additionally, they claimed that on September 27, 2023, a drone originating from South Korea’s Paju area fell in Jangphung County, Kaesong, after being struck down while allegedly conducting surveillance over North Korean territory. The North asserted that this drone was equipped with surveillance technology and had flown over a distance of 156 kilometers for more than three hours.
North Korea released photographs of the drone debris, including devices presumed to have been used for recording. They likened South Korea’s military actions to “Kiev’s lunatics,” drawing a parallel to Ukraine’s conflict with Russia. The North accused the South Korean military of orchestrating these drone incursions, claiming the drones were able to evade detection by the South’s radar systems designed to identify low-altitude targets.
“The ROK is the enemy most hostile towards us that can never be changed in nature,” the spokesperson stated, further asserting that the South Korean military would face consequences for what they described as “unforgivable hysteria.”
In response to North Korea’s claims, South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back firmly rejected the allegations, calling them “absolutely not true.” He noted that the drones showcased by the North are not models owned by the South Korean military. Furthermore, the defense ministry has stated that President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, with relevant government agencies currently verifying the claims.
Experts have assessed that the drones presented by North Korea do not appear to be military-grade vehicles. They suggest that the drones might be constructed from inexpensive components unsuitable for military operations. Similar incidents have occurred in the past; in October 2024, North Korea claimed that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korean propaganda were detected over Pyongyang on three occasions, threatening retaliation if such flights continued.
The context of these accusations arises as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has characterized inter-Korean relations as those between “two states hostile to each other.” Since taking office in June 2024, President Lee’s administration has aimed to improve relations with North Korea and resume dialogue. However, analysts indicate that North Korea is solidifying its hardline stance ahead of an important party congress slated for January or February, where it is expected to outline a five-year policy framework covering key areas such as diplomacy, economy, and military strategy.
According to Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, North Korea is likely to formalize its “two hostile states” position in the ruling party’s regulations and seek constitutional amendments during a parliamentary session in the first half of the year. As tensions escalate over these drone allegations, the implications for regional stability remain significant.
