North Korea has demanded a detailed explanation from South Korea over an alleged drone intrusion into its territory. According to North Korean state media cited by AFP, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said a drone launched from South Korea’s Ganghwa County entered the North’s Kaesong city earlier in January. Pyongyang claimed it shot down the drone and released photos of the wreckage.

Seoul has rejected the allegation, with its Defense Ministry stating that the drone described by North Korea does not match any model used by its military. The South Korean military said its investigation found no record of operating any unmanned aircraft at the time in question. President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a joint military and police probe to ensure a swift and impartial investigation, warning that if a civilian was responsible, it would be a serious crime threatening peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

The dispute comes as former president Yoon Suk Yeol faces trial over allegations of ordering illegal drone operations to provoke Pyongyang and justify emergency military measures.

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.