N. Korea accuses S. Korea of drone leaflet drop over Pyongyang

[Anchor]

North Korea claims that our drone dropped leaflets over Pyongyang.

The North asserted that it was launched by our military from Baengnyeongdo.

However, they have not provided any concrete evidence other than flight path records.

Our military has maintained its existing position that it is not worth responding.

Reporter Yoo Ho-yoon has the story.

[Report]

Seventeen days after claiming that a South Korean drone infiltrated Pyongyang and dropped leaflets, the North has released its final investigation results.

[Korean Central TV: "The most despicable and shameless provocative nature of the South Korean military thugs has been proven without any room for excuses."]

They claimed to have analyzed the flight control program from the drone's wreckage and presented the drone's location information by time.

They assert that the drone left Baengnyeongdo at 11:25 PM on the night of Oct. 8, entered North Korean airspace, and around 1:30 AM, scattered leaflets over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense in downtown Pyongyang.

Additionally, they stated that all previous flight records before entering the North were confirmed to be in South Korean territory, asserting that it was indeed the work of the South Korean military.

From the beginning of the incident, the North has consistently claimed it was the work of the South Korean military, and on Oct. 19, they released photos of the wreckage, suggesting it was the drone that scattered the leaflets.

However, the type of drone disclosed by the North has been analyzed as being incapable of long-distance flight while carrying leaflets, and ultimately, they have not presented any evidence other than the flight path records.

Our military has stated that it cannot confirm the North's claims and has maintained its existing position that it is not worth responding.

Separately from the source of the drone, there are analyses suggesting that the regime is using this incident to cover up the issue of Russian troop deployment.

[Jo Han-beom/Chair Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification: "It can be seen that they are utilizing methods to heighten anti-South sentiment, including the drone, to promote internal regime cohesion."]

Kim Yo-jong, the deputy director, also criticized our government for not responding to the drone incident in a separate statement today (10.28), raising the level of tension.

This is KBS News, Yoo Ho-yoon.