Lee orders probe into possible civilian drone

Jan 12, 2026, 07:51 am

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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on Dec. 30. / Yonhap

President Lee Jae-myung on Jan. 10 ordered a swift and rigorous investigation by a joint military–police task force after the possibility emerged that civilians may have operated drones linked to North Korea’s claims of South Korean drone infiltration.

According to the Blue House, Lee said that if civilians were found to have operated drones, it would constitute “a grave crime threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security,” and instructed authorities to conduct a prompt and thorough probe.

Earlier the same day, a spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army issued a statement titled “South Korea must be prepared to pay the price for once again committing a provocation that violated our sovereignty through drones,” claiming that North Korea had shot down South Korean drones allegedly infiltrated last September and again on Jan. 4.

In response, the Ministry of National Defense reiterated that the drones in question were not operated by the South Korean military and that the military does not possess such drones. The ministry said it would carry out a comprehensive investigation into whether the drones were operated by civilians.

The government emphasized that it has no intention of provoking North Korea and that the joint investigation will focus on establishing the facts and ensuring accountability should any wrongdoing be confirmed.

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