Author: Kim Hee-jin
SEOUL, Feb 18 (Reuters) – South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Wednesday that three civilians had launched drones into North Korea four times since President Lee Jae-myung took office last year, damaging inter-Korean relations.
Chung said the three flew the plane between September and January 2025, citing ongoing police and military investigations. He said drones crashed twice in North Korea, consistent with Pyongyang’s claims.
In two other attempts, the drones flew over the North Korean city of Kaesong before returning to the South Korean border settlement of Paju, Chung said.
He said South Korean authorities were investigating the three civilians on suspicion of violating aviation safety laws and violating criminal laws on behalf of the enemy.
He said some officials from South Korea’s military intelligence agency and the National Intelligence Service were also under investigation for their alleged involvement in the trio.
“We express our formal regret to North Korea,” Chung said, adding that the government was taking the drone intrusion very seriously.
North Korea reacted angrily, saying last month that South Korean drones had entered its airspace following another incursion in September.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, urged Seoul to investigate the incident, warning that provocation could lead to a “terrible situation”.
Chung also expressed regret that South Korea sent 18 drones to North Korea under the instructions of ousted President Yun Seok-yeol.
“This was an extremely dangerous incident designed to trigger an attack on South Korea by dispatching 18 drones 11 times to sensitive areas in North Korea, including over the offices of the Workers’ Party,” he said.
South Korean prosecutors have indicted Yin, who was deported in April 2025, on charges including aiding enemy countries.
They accuse him and his military commanders of ordering covert drone operations against North Korea to escalate tensions and justify his martial law order.
Yin has denied wrongdoing.
Chung said the South Korean government plans to tighten penalties for sending drones to North Korea, including up to one year in prison or a fine of 10 million won ($6,928).
He said South Korea’s inter-Korean relations development bill would also add a provision to prevent actions that would escalate tensions on the peninsula.
(1 USD = 1,443.6600 Korean Won)
(Reporting by Heejin Kim Editing by Ed Davies)
