North Korea said today it has found the remains of a crashed South Korean military drone, reported Reuters, cited by BTA, citing the North Korean news agency KCTA.
„Given the shape of the drone, the alleged duration of the flight, the leaflet-dispersing box attached to the aircraft's fuselage, and more, it is entirely possible that the drone was the same one that was dropping leaflets over Pyongyang. But the final conclusion has not yet been made“, KCTA reported.
The South Korean government declined to say whether and where such drones were flown, and whether they were operated by the military or by civilians. They reported from there that commenting on the North Korean allegations would mean getting involved in the case.
„If a violation of the territorial integrity of the lands, air and waters of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea by means of the Republic of Korea is detected and confirmed, it will be considered a dangerous military provocation against the sovereignty of the DPRK and a declaration of war, and it will immediately a retaliatory attack will be launched”, KCTA added.
Tensions between the two Koreas have risen since North Korea began sending garbage-carrying balloons over the border with South Korea in late May, with Seoul responding by resuming propaganda from loudspeakers along the border, which was met with irritation from Pyongyang .
North Korea has stepped up hostile rhetoric in recent days, accusing South Korea's military of sending drones over Pyongyang and threatening a “terrible disaster” if it detects any new drones in its airspace.