North Korea orders troops to prepare for firing over drone allegations

North Korea recently ordered its border troops to prepare to open fire, accusing South Korea of sending drones into its capital, Pyongyang, in what it described as a "war provocation."

The directive came over the weekend, instructing artillery units to be "fully ready" for immediate strikes on enemy targets should a similar breach happen again, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The order, which was given on October 12, remained in effect until October 13. North Korea alleges that drones from Seoul have infiltrated Pyongyang’s airspace on three occasions this month, dropping leaflets critical of the regime led by Kim Jong-un.

In response, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated that they are closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to respond to any provocations.

“Our military is closely monitoring the situation and standing fully ready for the North’s provocations,” JCS spokesman Lee Seong-joon said during a press briefing.

The accusations from Pyongyang have prompted a sharp reaction from Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who has threatened a “horrible disaster” if the alleged drone incursions do not cease. In a statement released early on October 14, she described the drone flights as “an unpardonable, malicious challenge to our state.”

This is not the first time Kim Yo-jong has made such statements. Over the weekend, she issued three separate warnings, demanding that the South Korean military take measures to prevent further violations of North Korean airspace.

However, the JCS on October 14 neither confirmed nor denied any involvement in drone operations, instead labelling the North’s accusations as “shameless.” “The North can’t even confirm the origin of a drone in the Pyongyang sky but is placing blame on the South – all the while keeping quiet about sending drones southwards on 10 occasions,” Lee said. “It is nothing but a shameless claim.”

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Unification Ministry suggested that the North’s claims might be an attempt to strengthen internal solidarity amidst growing tensions. “The cause of this whole situation lies in North Korea’s trash balloons. We strongly warn North Korea to halt sending the filthy and vulgar trash balloons,” the JCS said in a statement.

Notably, since late May, North Korea has been releasing thousands of balloons filled with rubbish across the border in protest against South Korea’s joint military exercises with US, as well as other border activities, which Pyongyang views as a threat to its sovereignty. These balloons have caused issues in Seoul and surrounding areas, with some even sparking fires.

Despite the nuisance, South Korea has refrained from shooting the balloons down, citing concerns over the potential spread of hazardous materials and the risk of collateral damage from gunfire in densely populated regions.

By Khagan Isayev