North Korea Welcomes Seoul’s Regret Over Drones as ‘Wise’

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, praised South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung for expressing remorse over a January drone intrusion into North Korean airspace. Initially, Seoul had denied government involvement, instead blaming civilians for the incident. However, recent findings confirmed that officials were linked to the breach.

In a statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong highlighted the regret shown by Lee as a “fortuitous and judicious” move. She stated,

“The ROK president personally expressed regret and discussed steps to prevent similar occurrences. Our government viewed this as very fortunate and wise behavior for its own sake.”

Kim Yo Jong, known for articulating policies that reflect her brother’s stance, described the gesture as a sign of “open-mindedness and honesty” from the South Korean leader. Earlier this year, Lee had apologized to Pyongyang after a drone entered its territory, calling the action “irresponsible.”

Seoul’s admission came following a February warning from Pyongyang about a “severe retaliation” if more drones crossed into the North. The warning prompted an investigation, which revealed the involvement of a National Intelligence Service official and a serving soldier. Lee emphasized that South Korea’s constitution prohibits private individuals from actions that might “incite conflict with the North.”

Despite efforts to improve relations, Lee’s outreach has been met with indifference. His expression of regret follows Kim Jong Un’s March declaration labeling Seoul as the “most hostile state,” with a commitment to “completely disregard” it. To view the accompanying video, JavaScript must be enabled, and a modern web browser is recommended.