Overview
- Pyongyang said its forces used electronic warfare on Jan. 4 to force down a drone near Kaesong after it crossed north from Ganghwa, claiming the device held about seven minutes of footage of North Korean areas.
- North Korea also asserted a Sept. 27, 2025 incursion, saying a drone that took off from Paju flew over Phyongsan County before being brought down and recovered with recorded imagery.
- South Korea’s defense minister rejected the allegations as “absolutely not true,” stating the drones shown are not military models it operates and that the armed forces did not fly drones on the cited dates.
- President Lee Jae Myung ordered a swift investigation that includes the possibility of civilian involvement, and the military said it detected no cross-border drone flights on those dates.
- Analysts reviewing KCNA’s photos said the aircraft and parts appear to be low-cost commercial gear, and a statement from Kim Jong-un’s sister noted North Korea has taken note of Seoul’s claim of no military role as the inquiry continues.