President Lee Jae Myung said that an apology to North Korea for the military's dissemination of anti-Pyongyang leaflets last year is in order, but that he has not issued one out of fear that doing so could be used to paint him as "pro-North."

Lee made the comment on Wednesday at a news conference marking the anniversary of martial law, during which he was asked whether Seoul intended to apologize to Pyongyang. 

In response, the president said the question had exposed his inner thoughts, though he did not elaborate further.

Lee recently shared a news report on X alleging that the South Korean military had first provoked North Korea's floating of trash-carrying balloons south of the border last year by sending propaganda leaflets toward the North.

He wrote that if acts of attempted insurrection are ignored, they will repeat themselves.