SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥 North Korea said Saturday it found the remains of a South Korean drone during a search in its capital, Pyongyang, claiming the drone proved the South鈥檚 military was behind the alleged drone infiltrations over the city鈥檚 skies earlier in the month.
The North鈥檚 official Korean Central News Agency released photos showing a seemingly damaged aircraft with wide, V-shaped wings and winglets. It said a joint investigation by military and state security agencies concluded that the aircraft, which it said was found on Oct. 13, was the same type of drone that appeared in a South Korean military parade earlier in October.
North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones over the night skies of Pyongyang three different times this month to drop anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets. It if such flights occur again.
The aircraft allegedly found in Pyongyang was likely one of the drones that were used to drop leaflets, North Korea鈥檚 Defense Ministry said, but further examinations were needed to verify that.
Should South Korea deny that the aircraft was used to drop leaflets, that would only confess to a separate infiltration of North Korea鈥檚 airspace by the South鈥檚 military, the ministry said. If North Korea confirms another violation of its territorial ground, airspace and waters by the South鈥檚 military, that will be regarded as a 鈥渄eclaration of war and an immediate retaliatory attack will be launched,鈥 the ministry added.
South Korea鈥檚 military didn鈥檛 immediately respond to North Korea鈥檚 report about the alleged drone discovery.
South Korea鈥檚 defense minister initially made a vague denial after the North's Oct. 11 accusation that the South sent drones over Pyongyang. The South鈥檚 military adjusted its response hours later, saying it couldn鈥檛 confirm whether or not the North鈥檚 claims were true.
are now at their worst in years as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ramps up his weapons tests and threats, and expands military cooperation with Russia, with South Korea claiming the against Ukraine.
The animosity has been exacerbated by between the Koreas in recent months.
Since May, North Korea has sent thousands of balloons carrying paper waste, plastic and other trash to drop on the South. The South鈥檚 military has responded by using loudspeakers at the border to broadcast propaganda and K-pop to North Korea.
North Korea is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of Kim鈥檚 authoritarian government and his family鈥檚 dynastic rule.
