North Korea has claimed that it shot down a South Korean drone that entered about eight kilometers into its airspace, describing the incident as a violation of its sovereignty. The state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday, January 4, that the drone took off from an island near Incheon, South Korea, and was destroyed by North Korean forces. KCNA said the drone carried surveillance cameras intended to photograph ‘important’ facilities inside North Korea, and released images showing wreckage and aerial photos allegedly taken by the drone.

The report comes as North Korea prepares for a key party congress to set its five-year policy direction. According to an analyst cited in the report, the timing reinforces leader Kim Jong Un’s narrative portraying South Korea as a foreign and hostile state. KCNA also recalled a similar incident in September when another South Korean drone was shot down.

KCNA, as cited by Reuters, accused South Korea of continuing ‘provocative acts’ near the border despite a change in government, labeling it the country’s ‘most hostile enemy.’ Since taking office last June, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s attempts to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang have been rejected.