South Korea signals response after probe into alleged North Korean drone incursions

South Korea will take action based on the outcome of an ongoing investigation into alleged drone incursions claimed by North Korea, the country’s unification minister said on Wednesday, amid renewed tensions between the two Koreas.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made the remarks during a policy briefing by agencies under his ministry, a day after Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, again demanded that Seoul apologise for violating the North’s sovereignty.

North Korea’s military has accused South Korea of sending drones equipped with surveillance devices across the border in September and again on January 4, alleging a breach of its airspace. Seoul has denied the claims, stating that its military did not dispatch the drones or operate the models displayed by the North.

Following the allegations, South Korea launched an investigation involving both military and police authorities, including the possibility that civilians may have been responsible for any drone activity.

“The joint military-police fact-finding team is working swiftly,” Chung said. “Once the results are released, the government will take corresponding action.”

Chung also criticised Pyongyang for raising the issue through media statements rather than established inter-Korean communication channels, calling the approach “extremely unnatural and abnormal”. He urged the restoration of suspended contact mechanisms and a resumption of dialogue between Seoul and Pyongyang.

“I hope the severed inter-Korean communication networks can be restored as soon as possible and dialogue resumed,” he said.

The minister indicated that Seoul could consider issuing an apology for drones allegedly sent to North Korea in 2024 under the previous administration, depending on the outcome of a related court case.

Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol is currently standing trial on charges of benefiting the enemy, linked to allegations that military drones were dispatched to Pyongyang last year. Prosecutors allege the move was intended to provoke the North and potentially justify the declaration of martial law, according to Yonhap news agency.

Chung said that once the facts are fully established, the government would respond appropriately, referring to a past precedent when North Korea expressed apology and regret over the fatal shooting of a South Korean government official in the Yellow Sea in 2020.

The comments underline Seoul’s attempt to balance a firm response with the possibility of renewed engagement, as tensions persist on the Korean peninsula.

With IANS inputs