Khaberni - North Korea announced on Saturday that it shot down over its territory a South Korean drone launched at the beginning of January, warning that Seoul «will pay a hefty price» for this intrusion.
A North Korean military spokesperson said in a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency that Pyongyang detected an «air target moving north» near South Korea's Ganghwa County, and shot it down near the city of Kaesong, located at the border.
Ganghwa County in northwest Seoul is separated from North Korea by the Han River estuary, which is less than 2 kilometers wide in some places.
The military spokesperson reported that the drone was equipped with «surveillance equipment», noting that analysis of the wreckage showed that it had captured images of «significant targets» in North Korea, including border areas.
He added that these images «constitute conclusive evidence that the drone entered the airspace of the Republic with the purpose of monitoring and scouting our territory».
The Korean Central News Agency accused its southern neighbor of sending a similar drone over Kaesong in September, stating that the drone crashed after being subjected to electronic interference.
The North Korean military spokesperson added: «South Korea is our most aggressive enemy, its nature won't change, and it is a target that must be destroyed if it attacks us.» He threatened, saying: «Seoul will pay a hefty price for its unforgivable hysterical behavior».
The prosecution in South Korea is currently investigating accusations against former President Yoon Suk Yeol for ordering the military to launch drones over Pyongyang in late 2024, in an attempt to provoke a military response from North Korea that could have justified Yoon declaring martial law in South Korea.
Yoon was removed from office in April, and his successor Lee Jae-myung vowed to reduce tensions with North Korea.
