The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced on Saturday that it had discovered the remains of a crashed drone in Pyongyang, allegedly identical to a military unmanned aerial vehicle showcased by South Korea during its Armed Forces Day parade. The DPRK’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the drone serves as decisive material evidence of what it terms a hostile provocation by South Korea, violating the DPRK’s sovereignty.
According to a spokesperson for the DPRK Ministry of National Defense, the Pyongyang Municipal Security Bureau uncovered the drone on October 13 during a search operation. Through technical examination, the DPRK assessed that the drone is a lightweight, long-range reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle owned by the South Korean military and one of “the same type as the vehicle-carried one opened to public at an event marking the ROK Armed Forces Day,” according to the KCNA report.
Based on its shape, flight period, and a leaflet-scattering box attached to the fuselage, the DPRK suggests it is “quite likely that the drone is the one which scattered leaflets over the center of Pyongyang,” though “the conclusion has not yet been drawn,” KCNA reported.
In response to the discovery, the DPRK has instructed military units in the capital and southern border areas to reinforce anti-air observation posts and has placed combined artillery units and key fire units near the border on full combat readiness, according to KCNA.
The DPRK warned that “if a violation of the DPRK’s territorial ground, air, and waters by ROK’s military means is discovered and confirmed again, it will be regarded as a grave military provocation against the DPRK sovereignty and a declaration of war and an immediate retaliatory attack will be launched.”
On October 11, the DPRK Foreign Ministry accused South Korea of sending drones over Pyongyang, a claim the South Korean military has denied, stating that it did not send drones into the DPRK.
Reference(s):
DPRK says it discovered remains of a South Korean drone: KCNA
cgtn.com
