Desk Correspondent , Pyongyang - North Korea has issued a stern warning to South Korea, accusing its neighbor of "unpardonable hysteria" after allegedly flying surveillance drones across the border. In a statement released on Saturday, the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army claimed that it used "special electronic warfare assets" to bring down a South Korean drone over a border town on Sunday. According to Pyongyang, the captured drone was equipped with high-resolution cameras that had filmed sensitive military areas. The North also alleged a similar incursion occurred on September 27, asserting that it found video data of "major objects" on the crashed device.

South Korea’s Ministry of Defense has flatly denied the claims, stating it did not operate any drones on the dates cited by the North. President Lee Jae-myung, who has led a liberal government focused on restoring ties since taking office in June, has ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations. This development is seen as a significant blow to President Lee’s reconciliation efforts, as North Korea continues to rebuff his overtures and maintains its hostile "two-state" policy, which treats South Korea as a primary enemy rather than a partner for reunification.

The "drone war" between the two Koreas has become a recurring flashpoint. In late 2024, North Korea accused the South of flying drones over Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets, while the South has previously scrambled jets in response to North Korean drone incursions. As North Korea warns that the "ROK military warmongers will be surely forced to pay a dear price," international observers fear that these repeated provocations could lead to a miscalculation or a direct military skirmish along one of the world's most heavily fortified borders.