The Blue House convened the National Security Council (NSC) on the 10th in response to North Korea’s allegations of a South Korean drone incursion.
A spokesperson for the Blue House announced that a working-level NSC meeting would be held at noon, chaired by the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office.
North Korea’s official party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published a statement from the Korean People’s Army General Staff. The headline read: South Korea Must Be Prepared for Consequences of Repeated Sovereignty Violations by Drones.
The statement claimed that on January 4, North Korean border air defense units detected and tracked an aerial target moving north over Hado-ri in Incheon’s Ganghwa County. It allegedly penetrated 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) into North Korean airspace before being attacked with electronic warfare assets and forced down 1,200 meters (about 3,937 feet) from a hill in Kaesong.
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense promptly refuted these claims, stating they were unfounded.
The ministry issued a statement confirming that no South Korean drones were operating on the date specified by North Korea.
President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, with relevant agencies currently verifying the details.
Defense Minister hn Kyu-back also confirmed that the alleged aircraft does not match any in South Korea’s inventory.