Anchor: A new task force will look into Pyongyang’s allegations that South Korean drones violated its airspace on two occasions since September. Meanwhile, Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister and a high-ranking official in his government, has rejected denials from the South Korean military that it sent drones over the inter-Korean border, saying it’s unimportant whether the military or civilians operated the drones.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, insists that South Korean drones violated the regime’s airspace and Seoul cannot evade responsibility by blaming civilians.

In a statement carried Sunday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said the essence of the matter is not whether the drones were operated by the military or civilians and that Seoul has an obligation to provide a detailed explanation.

She claimed the drones filmed the North’s uranium mines and border posts with the likely purpose of gathering intel and that even if they were operated by civilians, the authorities responsible for national security in the South cannot plead ignorance.

Kim then warned that any attempt to evade responsibility by arguing a civilian act is not a breach of sovereignty will result in the launch of many drones by private organizations in the North.

The regime leader’s sister also said Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense made a wise decision when it said it had no intention of provoking the North, but she threatened “terrible consequences” if it does. 

The remarks came a day after the ministry denied the South Korean military owned the drone models in question, adding that no military drones were flown on January 4 or September 27, the dates Pyongyang claims they crashed on the northern side of the border.

The ministry has promised to find out whether civilians may have been responsible for flying the drones, and President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the military and the police to carry out a joint investigation.

The police and the military formed a joint task force to look into the matter on Monday. 
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.