Overview
- North Korea says a reconnaissance drone entered from near Incheon’s Ganghwa area on January 4 and was forced down near Kaesong using electronic warfare, with the device recovered.
- The North’s military claims the drone carried footage and was set to fly for about three hours at 100–300 meters altitude, including roughly 8 kilometers inside its airspace.
- South Korea’s defense ministry states it neither owns nor operated such a drone at the time in question and maintains the aircraft was not a military asset.
- Kim Yo-jong said Pyongyang would take note of Seoul’s denial and pressed for an explanation after earlier warnings that the South would “pay a price.”
- Independent experts who reviewed North Korea’s photos say the airframe resembles commercially available Chinese models, casting doubt on a South Korean military origin and echoing a similar North Korean claim last September.