The government expressed regret for sending drones into North Korea under the previous government and said the president will seek to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. 

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said in a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul on Wednesday that Seoul had decided to express its position during a meeting of security-related ministers earlier in the Lunar New Year holiday. 

Chung said that the drone incursions had been a reckless military act and conveyed regret to Pyongyang.

The minister said the Lee administration has issued a formal expression of concern to the North and takes the matter very seriously.

To prevent further incidents, Chung said the government plans to strengthen penalties for illegal drone incursions through legal revisions.

He added that the Unification Ministry and governments in border areas would establish and operate a joint consultative body to prevent drone launches and the distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets while ensuring that impacted residents receive support and compensation.

Chung also said the government would review and seek to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, including previous no-fly zones.