On January 10, North Korea alleged that a South Korean unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) breached its airspace on January 4tand in September of last year. In response, the South Korean Ministry of Unification convened an urgent senior staff meeting that afternoon.
The Ministry reported that on January 10, it held an emergency executive meeting chaired by the Vice Minister to assess the situation following the North Korean General Staff spokesperson’s statement and to discuss the strategic response. They further stated that in collaboration with relevant agencies, it will maintain consistent efforts to reduce tensions and foster trust between North and South Korea.
North Korean state media outlets, including Rodong Sinmun and Korean Central News Agency, published a statement from the Korean People’s Army General Staff spokesperson titled, South Korea Must Be Prepared for Consequences of Its Repeated Sovereignty Violations by UAVs.
According to North Korea, on January 4, a UAV that departed from Ganghwa County in Incheon, South Korea, flew a total of 156 kilometers (about 97 miles) over a 3-hour and 10-minute period. The drone reportedly maintained an altitude between 100 to 300 meters (about 328 to 984 feet) at a speed of 50 km/h (about 31 mph), traversing Kaepung District in Kaesong City, Pyongsan and Kumchon Counties in North Hwanghae Province, before reaching Jeokseong-myeon in Paju City, Gyeonggi Province.
They also claimed that in September of last year, another UAV launched from Jeokseong-myeon in Paju City penetrated the airspace above Pyongsan County in North Hwanghae Province. This drone allegedly covered 167 kilometers (about 104 miles) over 3 hours and 20 minutes, flying at an altitude of 300 meters (about 984 feet) and a speed of 50 km/h (about 31 mph), while capturing imagery of critical targets, including military outposts along the border, as it passed over Kaesong City.