North Korea Blames South Korea’s Military for Alleged Drone Intrusions

Seoul — North Korea’s defense ministry has accused South Korea of sending drones into its territory for political purposes, branding the alleged actions as a breach of sovereignty. State media agency KCNA reported Monday that South Korean drones had entered North Korean airspace on multiple occasions this month, distributing anti-Pyongyang leaflets over key government buildings.

According to North Korean officials, an analysis of a captured drone’s flight logs revealed over 230 recorded flights since June 2023. These records included routes allegedly designed to release "political motivational rubbish" over Pyongyang. KCNA shared images of what it described as a downed South Korean military drone and mentioned a specific October 8 incident where a drone purportedly departed from South Korea’s border island Baengnyeongdo, releasing leaflets over Pyongyang a few hours later.

South Korea’s Response and Rising Tensions

Seoul’s defense ministry did not comment immediately but has dismissed North Korea’s unilateral claims as “not worth verifying or a response.” A North Korean spokesperson, however, warned of a “merciless offensive” should similar actions recur.

This incident comes amid escalating tensions between the two Koreas, fueled by recent provocations, including North Korea’s own leafleting campaigns via balloons and South Korea’s resumed loudspeaker broadcasts along the border.

In a further development, Seoul and Washington allege that North Korea has deployed 3,000 troops to Russia for potential operations in Ukraine, which could intensify their involvement in international conflicts. North Korea, responding Friday, stated that any troop movements would align with international law.

The Koreas continue to face strained relations, with these recent accusations adding another layer of tension to the already fragile peace.