South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed regret over a reported drone incursion into North Korean territory, saying the incident was carried out by an individual without government authorisation and had unnecessarily heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on April 6, Lee said Seoul regretted the situation despite the government not being involved, stressing that such actions by individuals were irresponsible and had triggered avoidable friction with Pyongyang.
He added that an investigation by South Korean authorities found the involvement of an employee from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) as well as an active-duty military official, noting that the country’s Constitution prohibits unauthorised acts of provocation against North Korea.
North Korea had earlier claimed in January that drones launched from the South had entered its airspace, describing the incident as a serious provocation and alleging that some of the drones were shot down.
Seoul, however, initially denied any official military involvement and subsequently launched a joint probe involving military and police authorities to investigate the matter.
Following the investigation, prosecutors reportedly indicted a South Korean man in his 30s over alleged violations of aviation and national security laws linked to the unauthorised drone flights.
The incident comes amid already strained relations, with North Korea in recent months labelling South Korea its “most hostile state” and rejecting diplomatic outreach efforts from Lee’s administration, further complicating efforts to reduce tensions on the peninsula.
