PYONGYANG – A high-ranking North Korean official has formally demanded that South Korea provide a comprehensive explanation regarding an unmanned aerial vehicle that allegedly penetrated North Korean airspace earlier this month, according to a report published Sunday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Kim Yo Jong, who serves as vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, issued the statement through an official press release on Saturday. The prominent political figure and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed measured appreciation for South Korea’s recent commitment to avoid provocation, characterizing the Defense Ministry’s public declaration as “a wise choice.”
However, Kim maintained that this diplomatic gesture must be accompanied by transparent accountability concerning the January 4 incident where a drone reportedly crossed the military demarcation line separating the two nations. “A detailed explanation should be made about the actual case of a drone that crossed the southern border of our Republic from the ROK,” Kim stated, employing the formal acronym for the Republic of Korea.
The North Korean official specifically challenged attempts within South Korea to minimize the significance of the event by attributing it to civilian activity. Kim emphasized that the fundamental concern transcends whether the drone originated from military or civilian sources, noting that the aircraft had captured visual data of sensitive locations including a uranium mining facility, its settling pond, the former Kaesong Industrial Zone, and several border security installations.
“Regardless of who the perpetrator is or whether the act was carried out by any civilian organization or individual, the authorities responsible for national security can never evade their responsibility for it,” Kim asserted, directly implicating South Korean leadership in the alleged security breach.
In response to these allegations, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has reportedly ordered a comprehensive investigation, directing military and police task forces to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident. The South Korean Defense Ministry has formally denied involvement, stating that no military drones were operational on the dates specified by North Korean authorities and that the drone in question does not correspond to any models currently deployed by South Korean armed forces.