The Ministry of Defense of North Korea accused the South Korean army of sending drones into the country's territory for political purposes, calling it a violation of its sovereignty, Reuters reported, citing the state news agency KCTA, as quoted by BTA.
The ministry announced the final results of its investigation, saying South Korean drones flew over Pyongyang at least three times this month to distribute propaganda leaflets.
The KCTA has also released photos it claims are of a crashed South Korean military drone.
North Korean officials said an analysis of the drone's flight control program found more than 230 flight plans and flight logs since June 2023, including a plan to spread "politically motivated nonsense".
According to the October 8 recording, the drone took off from a South Korean border island late at night and a few hours later dropped leaflets over the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry buildings in Pyongyang.
Seoul's defense ministry has yet to respond to requests for comment, saying Pyongyang's unilateral claims "do not merit verification or response," according to Reuters.
A North Korean spokesman warned that the country would respond with a “merciless offensive” if such a case were to happen again, KCTA reported.
Tensions on the Korean peninsula rose again after the North began sending garbage balloons to the South in late May, prompting Seoul to resume propaganda broadcasts over loudspeakers, Reuters notes.
Seoul and Washington say North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, which could represent a significant escalation of the conflict. On Friday, Pyongyang said any step to send its troops to support Russia would be in line with international law.