DPRK official demands ROK clarify drone incident

A senior official of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has urged Republic of Korea (ROK) to make a "detailed explanation" about a drone that entered DPRK airspace, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday.

Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, made the remarks in a press statement issued on Saturday.

The DPRK official expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea Ministry of Defense's public declaration that it would never provoke or irritate the DPRK, calling it "a wise choice," the report said.

"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 was quoted as saying, using the acronym for the Republic of Korea.

Kim further criticized attempts in the ROK to downplay the incident as a "civilian case," stressing that the core issue was not whether the latest drone incident originated from military or civilian sources.

She noted that video data collected by the drone pertained to sensitive locations, including a uranium mine and its settling pond, the former Kaesong Industrial Zone, and DPRK border guard posts.

"Regardless of who the perpetrator is or whether the act was carried out by any civilian organization or individual, the ROK authorities responsible for national security can never evade their responsibility for it," Kim asserted.

According to KCNA, the incident occurred on January 4. In response, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered a thorough investigation, instructing military and police task forces to verify the details.

South Korea's Defense Ministry has denied involvement, stating that no military drones were operational on the dates specified by the DPRK and that the drone in question does not match any models used by the ROK armed forces.