South Korean President Lee Jae Myung issued a formal apology to North Korea on Monday following unauthorized drone flights that crossed into North Korean territory, which he described as the work of individual actors operating without official government authorization.
During a cabinet meeting, the president stated: “Although it was not our government’s intention, we express our regret to the North over the fact that unnecessary military tensions were caused by the irresponsible and reckless actions of some individuals.”
According to Lee, a government investigation revealed that a National Intelligence Service worker and an active military officer were connected to the unauthorized flights. The president emphasized that South Korea’s constitution prohibits individual acts of aggression toward North Korea.
Earlier this year in January, North Korean officials claimed that drones launched from South Korea had breached their airspace, characterizing the incident as a serious act of aggression and stating they had destroyed the aircraft.
Initially, South Korean officials rejected claims of military participation and initiated a combined military-police investigation. The probe resulted in prosecutors filing charges against a South Korean man in his thirties for breaking aviation regulations and national security statutes related to the unauthorized drone operations.
Tensions between the two nations have escalated in recent months, with North Korea designating South Korea as its primary adversary and rejecting diplomatic overtures from Lee’s government.
