At their lowest point in years, relations between North and South Korea worsened further this weekend. North Korea on Friday accused South Korea of sending unmanned drones into its airspace three times in October that dropped propaganda leaflets.
On Saturday, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened Seoul with a “horrible disaster” if drones crossed the border again. And this Sunday, North Korea threatened to open fire on the border with South Korea.
Seoul no longer denies accusations
According to the official KCNA news agency, the “general staff” of the People’s Army “issued a preliminary operation order on October 12.” This order provided that “eight fully armed artillery brigades, with all their war strength, be ready to open fire” until 8 p.m. Sunday (12 p.m. in Paris). According to KCNA, other units were ordered to “intensify surveillance on full alert,” while “anti-aircraft observation posts were strengthened” in Pyongyang.
Still according to KCNA, leaflets sent by drones in recent days were filled with “inflammatory rumors and trash.” Flying drones into Pyongyang’s airspace could be considered a military attack,” the North Korean Foreign Ministry said, adding that it was “a serious, intolerable and unforgivable provocation.”
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun initially denied Pyongyang’s accusations, but the Joint Chiefs of Staff later changed its position. It said in a statement that it “cannot confirm whether the North Korean allegations are true or not.”
