North Korea reveals a suspected South Korean drone, escalating tensions between the two nations. The display comes amidst ongoing military and intelligence disputes in the region.
The North Korean Defense Ministry has published images of what it alleges is a South Korean drone. It claims that this may be the UAV used by Seoul to disseminate propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang earlier this month.
According to a statement by the ministry on Saturday, the crashed UAV was found in the northwest region of North Korea’s capital on October 13. One published image showed a drone resembling an airplane entangled in a tree.
A technical investigation and probe of the aircraft have confirmed that it is of South Korean origin, according to the statement.
“Given the drone’s design, its anticipated flight duration, and the leaflet-scattering device attached to its underside, it is highly probable that this is the drone responsible for distributing leaflets over central Pyongyang Municipality. However, a final conclusion has not been reached,” stated the ministry according to a report by state news agency KCNA.
Pyongyang has cautioned that any future breaches by the South into North Korea’s “territorial land, airspace, and waters,” once identified and verified, will be considered a serious military provocation. This could lead to an aggressive response as it would be perceived as a declaration of war.
Earlier this week, North Korea charged its southern neighbor with dispatching drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang on three separate occasions this month. While Seoul has neither confirmed nor denied these UAV flights, it issued a warning that the North Korean regime will face demise if it retaliates against South Korea.
In response to the alleged drone incursions, North Korea destroyed road and rail connections with South Korea.
