On October 18, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Ministry of Defense announced that they had recovered debris from a South Korean drone that allegedly penetrated into Pyongyang on October 13. How did the South Korean government respond to this claim? As of October 19, they stated that there was no value in confirming or refuting North Korea’s unilateral assertions.

According to a report from the Korean Central News Agency on October 19, North Korea claims to have conducted technical assessments and investigations on the drone wreckage. They concluded that it belonged to the South Korean military’s “Drone Operations Command” and was identified as a “small drone for long-range reconnaissance.”

The report further indicated that North Korea’s Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army issued directives to all troops near Pyongyang and along the border to enhance the deployment of surveillance outposts.

Additionally, it was reported that the General Staff decided to keep the artillery units and key firepower units near the border on full combat readiness, a decision that has received approval.

The spokesperson warned that any further military incursions by South Korean forces into North Korean territory, airspace, or waters would be considered a serious military provocation and an act of war, justifying a prompt retaliatory response from North Korea.

Meanwhile, according to Yonhap News Agency, in response to North Korea’s claim regarding the drone, the South Korean Ministry of Defense reiterated on October 19 that there was no value in confirming or disputing the unilateral assertions coming from North Korea.