Chung pushes legal ban on drone incursions, 9.19 revival

Feb 19, 2026, 09:06 am

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Unification Minister Chung Dong-young bows after announcing measures to prevent a recurrence of civilian drone incursions into North Korea at the Government Complex Seoul on Feb. 18. /Yonhap

Chung Dong-young on Feb. 18 once again expressed “deep regret” to North Korea over a civilian drone incursion incident and pledged to prevent a recurrence by pursuing legal revisions and the preemptive restoration of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement, including its no-fly zones.

Speaking at a press conference at the Government Complex Seoul, Chung said that during a security-related ministers’ meeting held earlier in the Lunar New Year holiday, the government decided to formally present its position on the case involving civilians flying drones into North Korea.

He said three civilians are under investigation on charges of violating the Aviation Safety Act and the Criminal Act’s general aiding-the-enemy provision. “Even civilians may face severe punishment — life imprisonment or at least three years in prison — if the general aiding-the-enemy charge is applied. That in itself would serve as a strong deterrent against recurrence,” Chung said.

Chung also referred to allegations that under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, subordinate units of the Drone Operations Command launched 18 unmanned aerial vehicles in 11 instances toward Pyongyang, Wonsan, Nampo and Kaesong. He added that Yoon, currently standing trial on insurrection charges, should directly apologize to the North and offer a public apology to the South Korean people.

“As Unification Minister under the Lee Jae-myung administration, I express deep regret to the North over the previous government’s drone incursions,” Chung said. “We will handle this matter not merely as a legal violation, but from the perspective of preventing artificial escalation of inter-Korean tensions and advancing peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.”

It marked Chung’s second expression of regret toward the North following similar remarks on Feb. 10 at a Mass for national reconciliation and unity held at Myeongdong Cathedral.

Chung said the government will push to strengthen punishment provisions under the Aviation Safety Act and amend the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act to explicitly prohibit drone incursions into the North.

He also pledged to establish a consultative body for peace and safety in border regions to safeguard stability in frontline areas. In addition, the government will review and pursue the preemptive restoration of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement — commonly known as the 9.19 agreement — including reinstating no-fly zones to prevent further incidents.

#Chung Dong-young #Unification Ministry #North Korea #drone incident #9.19 military agreement