N. Korea claims S. Korean drone took off from western border island in Oct. for incursion into Pyongyang

North Korea said Monday that its analysis of the flight log of a drone that crashed in Pyongyang earlier this month showed it took off from a South Korean border island in the Yellow Sea, insisting that the South Korean military is behind what it claimed were South Korea’s drone incursions.

South Korea’s military called the North’s latest claim “unilateral,” saying it is “unworthy” of verifying or responding to.

North Korea earlier claimed that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets were detected in the night skies over Pyongyang three times this month and threatened to respond with force if such flights occur again.

Announcing the final results of its probe into the drone incursions, North Korea’s defense ministry said it has analyzed the flight control program from the remains of a drone that crashed after intruding into the North on Oct. 8, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The North said the drone took off from South Korea’s border island of Baengnyeong in the Yellow Sea at 11:25:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 and intruded into the territorial air of North Korea.

The drone scattered “political motivational rubbish” in the sky over areas between the building of North Korea’s foreign ministry and the Sungri metro station in Pyongyang at 1:32:08 a.m., as well as the building of the defense ministry at 1:35:11 a.m., on Oct. 9, the KCNA said.

North Korea published an illustration that shows what appears to be the flight route of the drone. The flight route, marked as a green line, goes north clockwise along the western coastline after starting from Baengnyeong Island, enters the sky of Pyongyang and goes back south on a similar path in a reverse direction to return to the island.

Among the 238 flight plans and logs of the drone, all flight data, except that on Oct. 8, showed that the drone flew in the South Korean territory, the KCNA said. North Korea also claimed the crashed drone had data of a plan and records to scatter propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang.

The results “clearly proved the most vulgar and shameless provocative nature of the ROK military gangsters who have persistently evaded the responsibility for the illegal intrusion by their drone into the sky above the capital city of the DPRK,” a spokesperson at the North’s defense ministry said.

ROK stands for South Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea, and DPRK is the acronym of North Korea’s full name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea warned that “the source of all misfortunes and provocations will disappear forever by the merciless offensive” by the North if South Korea once again infringes upon its sovereignty.

South Korea’s military has said it could not confirm whether the North’s drone claims are true. In response to North Korea’s military threat, Seoul’s defense ministry has warned that the North will face “the end of its regime” if it causes any harm to South Korean people.

The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reiterated such a stance on Monday and called the North’s behavior “shameless.”

“North Korea has threatened our safety by infiltrating multiple drones into our airspace over 12 or more occasions in the past 10 years. Its unilateral claim, let alone showing regret over it, is shameless,” JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun told a regular press briefing.

Lee did not provide further details when asked about the possibility of civilian groups sending drones into North Korea.

Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement that apparently reflected her mockery and irritation over South Korea showing no response to Pyongyang’s drone claims.

She suggested an “assumed” situation where an unidentified drone flew over the sky of Seoul and scattered leaflets critical of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

“The military, individual organization or any individual of the DPRK did not let fly a drone. We can not confirm it and it is worthless to give answer to it,” Kim said.

“This is an assumed situation. Under such situation, I’d like to see once how the dirty curs in Seoul bark. The world may also be curious about it.”

Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, raised the possibility of the North attempting to fly drones over the South’s presidential office or the JCS.

“Kim Yo-jong’s statement is seen as deriding the South’s response to the Pyongyang drone incident and in a tit-for-tat response there is a possibility it may fly drones carrying propaganda leaflets or trash over the presidential office or the JCS,” Yang said.

Last week, North Korean balloons carrying leaflets criticizing Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee landed in the presidential compound. It marked the first time the North sent leaflets that directly criticize the president and his wife.

The South’s military vowed to take corresponding measures should North Korean drones enter the South’s airspace.

“In the event of a drone infiltration, we will respond accordingly and take due measures to protect the safety and assets of our people,” the JCS spokesperson said.

Lee, however, said there are no details to confirm at this stage whether the North’s trash balloons call for a military response.