Kim Jong-un holds security meeting to discuss military response to alleged South Korean drone infiltration
Published: 15 Oct. 2024, 11:44
![North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, third from right, convenes a consultative meeting on national defense and security on Monday to discuss ways to respond to South Korean drones' alleged flights over Pyongyang. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/10/15/32341265-77f6-43c2-8000-782d2bd29774.jpg)
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, third from right, convenes a consultative meeting on national defense and security on Monday to discuss ways to respond to South Korean drones' alleged flights over Pyongyang. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a meeting with top security officials to discuss what Pyongyang claims was South Korea's infiltration of drones and military action plans to respond to it, state media reported Tuesday.
At the meeting held Monday, Kim received reports about North Korea's plan to deal with the "enemy's serious provocation," including the military's counteraction plan and the situation related to the North's intelligence operations, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
North Korea claimed Friday that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets were detected in the night skies over Pyongyang three times this month, and threatened to respond with force if such flights occur again. North Korea's military said Sunday it has ordered front-line artillery units to be fully ready to open fire.
At the meeting, Kim put in place a plan to carry out an "immediate military action" and suggested "important tasks to be fulfilled in the operation of the war deterrent and the exercise of the right to self-defense for safeguarding the national sovereignty," the KCNA said, without disclosing details.
The report said Kim also "expressed a tough political and military stand" of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and the North Korean government at the meeting.
The meeting brought together North Korea's key military and intelligence officials, including Ri Yong-gil, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, and Ri Chang-ho, director of the General Reconnaissance.
Tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea warned of a "horrible disaster" if South Korea sends more drones over the North's capital.
Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North's leader, issued a series of sharp-tongued statements accusing South Korea of flying drones into Pyongyang. She claimed Monday that the South Korean military was behind the alleged drone infiltration, without providing evidence.
In response to North Korea's military threat, South Korea's defense ministry has warned that the North will face "the end of its regime" if it causes any harm to South Korean people. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff has said it could not confirm whether the North's drone claims were true.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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