North Korean leadership alleges cross‑border drone violations Pyongyang says surveillance‑equipped drones entered its airspace in September and again on Jan. 4, were electronically neutralised and fell near the Kaesong industrial zone, and that video data ties them to a uranium mine and the joint industrial complex [1][3][4]. The claims frame the events as a breach of sovereignty and a provocation against the North [1][4].

Kim Yo‑jong issues formal demand for apology and detailed explanation In a KCNA‑distributed statement, Kim urged Seoul to acknowledge responsibility, apologise, and outline measures to prevent recurrence, describing the incursions as a “sovereignty violation” [1][2][3][4]. She praised the South Korean defense ministry’s denial as a “wise choice” while simultaneously warning of “terrible consequences” if provocations continue [3][4].

Seoul rejects military involvement and launches joint investigation The South Korean defense ministry denied that its armed forces operated the drones, suggesting private actors might be responsible and emphasizing that no provocation was intended [1][3][4]. President Lee Jae Myung ordered a combined military‑police probe to examine possible civilian operators, pledging a full investigation [4].

Rhetoric escalates with threats of harsher retaliation Kim dismissed Seoul’s peace overtures as a “daydream,” labelled the South a “group of hooligans and scrap,” and warned that any further provocation would bring consequences the North believes Seoul cannot bear [1][3][4]. The language signals a hardening stance and readiness to respond beyond proportional measures [1][2].