Up to North Korea to prove claims of South Korean military sending drones into Pyongyang: JCS

GYERYONG, South Chungcheong Province -- On North Korea claiming without evidence that South Korean uncrewed aerial vehicles flew over Pyongyang, the South Korean army chief of staff said North Korean attempts to gamble with the stability of the Korean Peninsula “will not be tolerated.”

Gen. Park An-su said North Korea was “using the drone claims” to order artillery corps to be prepared to open fire along the border and blow up inter-Korean roads.

“The North Korean regime will be putting itself on a path to self-destruction if it ignores the wishes of the South Korean government and the international community,” he said.

The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reiterated Thursday that there was “nothing to confirm about” North Korea accusing South Korea of flying drones over Pyongyang.

“No efforts were being taken by the South Korean military to investigate the North Korean claims. It is up to North Korea to prove those claims,” JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun told reporters.

On reports of North Korea sending troops to help Russia’s war on Ukraine, the army chief of staff said he would speak with higher levels of command about cooperating with like-minded countries

“We are aware of totalitarian countries working together in secret. Regarding North Korea helping Russia in the Ukraine war, we will work with other countries sharing the same values for cooperation,” he said.

He was speaking in response to Rep. Han Ki-ho, former three-star Army general, who said South Korea “should not be sitting on our hands” as Russia cozies up with North Korea aiding its war efforts.

Citing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Han said North Korea appears to have sent some 10,000 troops to fight alongside Russia.

“North Korea is sending troops, selling weapons to Russia. How pathetic is it that we aren’t even supposed to provide artillery shells to Ukraine,” he said.

“Are we supposed to just sit around on the sidelines and just watch? If we are not going to war in Ukraine, we should at least be involved.”