North Korea has claimed to discover remnants of a South Korean military drone and warned that any further incursions into its territory could lead to a “declaration of war.”
Since May, tensions on the peninsula have risen sharply. North Korea started sending balloons filled with garbage across the border, prompting South Korea to resume its propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts.
This week, North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones over Pyongyang three times this month, threatening military retaliation if it occurs again.
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According to North Korean state news agency KCNA, a crashed South Korean drone landed on their territory, as reported by Reuters. South Korean lawmaker Yu Yong-weon commented that the drones in the provided images resembled surveillance models from Sungwoo Engineering supplied to the South Korean military in 2023.
KCNA warned that any future violations of North Korean airspace by South Korean military activity would be deemed a severe provocation against their sovereignty, potentially leading to an immediate retaliatory strike.
Seoul has not confirmed whether its military or any civilians operated the alleged drones, instead opting to dismiss Pyongyang’s claims as misinformation.
Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reiterated his willingness to consider nuclear options in light of increasing military ties between South Korea and the U.S. This concern includes a new deterrence guideline established in July to enhance cooperation between South Korean conventional forces and U.S. nuclear capabilities in order to address ongoing threats from Pyongyang.
Interestingly, a recent survey revealed that 43 percent of Americans support accepting North Korea as a nuclear state and engaging in arms control talks with its leadership.