Following President Lee Jae Myung’s directive, a joint military and police investigation has begun into allegations of South Korean drones breaching North Korean airspace. The South Korean government is also open to the possibility of a joint investigation with North Korea after this initial inquiry.
During a regular press briefing on Monday, Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na stated that the military is swiftly cooperating with the police as per the President’s instructions. The joint military-police investigation is currently in progress.
On January 10, a spokesperson for North Korea’s General Staff announced through the Rodong Sinmun and other outlets that South Korean drones had violated their airspace on January 4 and in September of last year. North Korea alleged that the drone was conducting reconnaissance missions and claimed the South Korean government and military were responsible.
The Defense Ministry promptly refuted these claims, asserting the South Korean military does not possess such drones, and it has no record of operating any drones during the times specified by North Korea.
Photos released by North Korea show the drone resembling a model manufactured by a Chinese company, composed of components readily available in the civilian market. This has fueled speculation that a civilian entity may be behind the drone flights.
On January 11, President Lee declared that if true, this constitutes a grave threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security. He ordered a swift and thorough investigation by the joint military-police team. The government emphasized that there was no intent to provoke North Korea and is working to identify the drone’s operators, circumstances, and any potential legal violations.
The joint investigation team operates under police leadership with military support, as the military lacks jurisdiction to investigate civilian matters. The government has not disclosed details about the team’s composition or specific activities.
Spokesperson Jeong explained that they are expediting the President’s directives and will provide detailed information once the investigation concludes. Currently, it is exploring all possibilities in the inquiry.
The government may formally propose a joint investigation with North Korea regarding this incident. On January 10, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back suggested that perhaps the two Koreas could conduct a joint investigation. Similar proposals have emerged from the ruling party.
Spokesperson Jeong stated that it haven’t yet made an official proposal to North Korea, adding that it needs to swiftly determine the cause and decide on appropriate follow-up measures based on the findings.
If the military-police investigation identifies the drone operators, the government is expected to consider penalties under various laws, including the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, the Aviation Safety Act, and the Military Bases and Military Base Protection Act. Current regulations prohibit drone operations in controlled or no-fly zones without approval from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, as well as exporting goods to North Korea or engaging in communication without authorization from the Minister of Unification.