South Korea Rejects North’s Drone Incursion Claims

South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has firmly denied allegations by North Korea that South Korean drones violated its airspace, dismissing the claims as unfounded.

According to Yonhap, Ahn said the drones cited by Pyongyang were not operated by the South Korean military. The defense ministry also stated that South Korean forces had conducted no drone flight operations on the dates referenced by North Korea.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army claimed that South Korean drones entered the airspace of the North Korea and crashed on its territory on September 27, 2025, and January 4, 2026. The spokesperson said the drones were brought down using electronic warfare systems and were allegedly equipped with surveillance and recording devices.

The competing statements add to ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where accusations of airspace violations and military provocations frequently heighten diplomatic and security strains between the two sides.