Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
Seoul, Pyongyang make rare exchange of statements over drone intrusions
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a speech at a ceremony marking the presentation of 600mm large-caliber multiple rocket launchers to military workers ahead of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, Wednesday, as reported by Korean Central TV the next day. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
Kim Yo-jong says she 'highly appreciates' South Korea's preventive steps on drone incursions
A rare volley of official comments between Seoul and Pyongyang over alleged South Korean drone incursions into North Korea has raised cautious hopes of renewed communication, as Seoul steps up efforts to revive long-stalled inter-Korean ties.
South Korea's Ministry of Unification said Thursday that it acknowleges the North's response to Seoul's official comments regarding the drone incident.
"We take note of the North's swift response to the government's expression of regret over the drone incident and its announcement of measures to prevent a recurrence,” a ministry official said. "The preventive steps announced yesterday by the unification minister are intended to safeguard the safety and peace of both the South and the North."
Cheong Wa Dae also commented on the North's response, saying it hopes "both sides will refrain from actions that escalate tensions in border areas and will work together to build peace."
A day earlier, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young announced steps aimed at preventing civilian drone intrusions into the North, including reviewing the reinstatement of no-fly zones along the border as part of a partial revival of the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said she "highly appreciates" Chung's acknowledgment of the drone intrusions and his willingness to prevent a recurrence.
"Such a foolish act of imperiling oneself should not be repeated," Kim said in a statement carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.
Gaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, is seen from an observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Feb. 8. Yonhap
She also said the North's military leadership "will take a step for heightening vigilance in all sectors along the southern border with the ROK," referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea. "The border with the enemy should be firmly guarded," she added.
While the back-and-forth does not amount to formal dialogue, it reflects a rare instance of indirect inter-Korean communication through public statements, as both sides appear to be seeking to manage tensions stemming from the drone incident. A joint police-military investigation is probing allegations that three civilians flew drones into North Korea on four occasions between September 2025 and January.
But analysts cautioned against viewing the exchange as a breakthrough.
"The latest pattern suggests the South Korean government is announcing preventive measures in response to North Korea's demands, which could give Pyongyang the upper hand," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University.
Park added that Kim's remarks about strengthening vigilance along the border signaled an intent to reinforce the North's military posture despite Seoul's proposal to partially restore the inter-Korean military agreement.
"North Korea has little interest in reviving the military pact, and Seoul's push to do so could weaken our own surveillance posture along the border," he said.
The 2018 agreement created buffer zones designed to reduce military tensions during a period of diplomatic engagement, but it was effectively suspended in 2024 as tensions escalated.
South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said Thursday it would pursue reinstating no-fly zones "while putting in place security measures to ensure there is no impact on military readiness." The ministry said consultations would include both U.S. Forces Korea and the United Nations Command to maintain a strong combined defense posture.
This photo, captured from a North Korea's Korean Central TV program that aired on Thursday, shows 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang after they were presented to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea the previous day. Yonhap
Meanwhile, ahead of the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party scheduled for later this month, North Korea has staged a display highlighting its military capabilities.
According to state-run KCNA, Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony in Pyongyang the previous day marking the presentation of 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers to military units. In a speech, he described the system as "a large-calibre super-precision multiple launch rocket system" that has "completely changed the role and conception of artillery accepted by modern warfare."