Yoo Sang-bum, Chief of National Security, briefs on the key achievements of the ROK-Japan Summit at the ROK Press Center in Osaka, Japan, on the 14th, stating, "We are considering restoring the September 19th Military Agreement." [Photo=Yonhap News]
North Korea is once again counterattacking South Korea with forced interpretations and distortions. Regarding the recent drone infiltration incident, North Korea is blaming South Korea entirely and repeatedly asserting "South Korea's drone infiltration." However, the debris disclosed by North Korea has been identified as components of civilian drones, far from military equipment, and our military stated that they did not operate any drones at the time.

Since 2014, North Korea has violated our airspace with drones more than 10 times, and in December 2022, it even launched drones over the no-fly zone above the Yongsan Presidential Office, demonstrating its provocative history. Despite this, North Korea is now invoking sovereignty violations, and Kim Yo-jong is escalating criticism against the current administration, issuing threats such as, "Whether military or civilian, South Korea has violated North Korean airspace. Significant consequences will follow."

This is a politically absurd offensive without established facts and a typical propaganda campaign to shift responsibility for provocations. Military experts also analyze that North Korea's announcement is closer to a forced claim for political purposes than a statement of military fact, and it strongly suggests a psychological warfare aimed at consolidating internal cohesion and creating tension within North Korea.

Arguments Within South Korea Defending North Korea... Fueling North Korea's Absurdity and Provocations

North Korea's blaming and absurd counterattacks are not coincidental. In the recent drone incident, North Korea confidently asserts, "South Korea provoked first." This is not unrelated to past statements from within South Korea that have defended and spoken for North Korea. Regarding the barriers installed by North Korea, the Ministry of Unification echoed North Korea's logic, calling them "defensive measures concerned about a South Korean invasion of the North," and repeatedly stated that South Korea's military posture provoked North Korea.

North Korea must have mistakenly believed that its claims were partially accepted by South Korea's security apparatus. North Korea is now skillfully exploiting this trend to downplay its responsibility for provocations and pressure the South Korean government.

The atmosphere of defending North Korea has provided an excellent environment for North Korea to launch its absurd offensive. In particular, Lee Jae-myung's statement, "South Korea has militarily pressured North Korea for a long time, making North Korea anxious," has been used as a pretext for North Korea's attacks against the South. North Korea immediately used this to justify its claims and appeared to view the South Korean government's stance as a weakness.

South Korean Military and Government Immediately Clarify and Order Investigation into North Korea's Forced Claims

Since 2014, the North Korean regime has infiltrated drones into our airspace, causing confusion, but has never offered an explanation or expressed regret. Nevertheless, immediately after North Korea's accusations, our Ministry of National Defense clarified, "It is not one of our military's models," and the President stated that "if it was a drone flown by civilians, it is a serious crime" and ordered the formation of a joint investigation team. This response has drawn criticism for deviating from the strategic actions expected of the Commander-in-Chief and the Ministry of National Defense.

Instead of reacting immediately to North Korea's claims, the Commander-in-Chief should have remained silent, neither confirming nor denying. If a statement was to be made, it should have demanded an apology and accountability from the North Korean regime for the drone infiltration that North Korea initiated. Our military's immediate clarification and the President's order for an investigation in response to North Korea's forced claims are evaluated as a move that has lost strategic sense and balance.

In the process of responding, the military inadvertently revealed information equivalent to our military's response capabilities and military secrets. The government, prioritizing a message of 'avoiding provocation' over fact-finding, has ended up falling into the counterattack frame that North Korea is aiming for. A response that self-inflicts internal confusion in the face of North Korea's blatant hostility towards the South is harmful to both national security and national interests.

The reason why North Korea's forced offensive is causing a particularly significant political ripple is the ongoing trial related to President Yoon Suk-yeol's "Pyongyang Drone Incident."

In relation to the military drone infiltration incident into North Korea in 2024, President Yoon is currently indicted for treason. Even normal military response operations are being viewed as treason. This has escalated into political infighting with the argument, "If so, the same standards should apply to the current administration." Measures that appear to defend an enemy without verified facts and political contention are provoking public anger.

What is Needed is Not Political Infighting, But an Unwavering Stance of Defending Sovereignty

What is needed now is not political infighting, but a firm principle and an unwavering stance of defending sovereignty. South Korea's national security cannot be protected by a stance that wavers with the enemy's claims. North Korea's distortions and forced interpretations can only be suppressed through firm principles and consistent responses. We must immediately stop and change the internal tendency to defend and represent North Korea, which is merely being used in North Korea's strategy, the rhetoric that strengthens North Korea's logic, and the attitude of being dragged along by North Korea.

While some military experts view the recent "drone infiltration incident into North Korea" as a North Korean fabrication linked to espionage, if our military hastily clarifies it as a civilian drone, it amounts to admitting a flaw in our air defense system. On this occasion, the military should assess the limitations in detecting small, low-altitude drones and the lack of cooperation between the military, police, and intelligence agencies. It must also expand low-altitude radar, develop electronic warfare and laser interception capabilities, and establish an integrated response system.

The Ministry of Unification should cease making statements that defend North Korea's logic, thus refraining from providing further pretexts for North Korea's counterattacks. The government should consider a complete overhaul of its security apparatus and demonstrate a clear-headed judgment based on facts and a firm security will to protect its sovereignty. The military is urged to wisely suppress North Korea's forced offensive without being swayed by political considerations.

◆ Park Pil-kyu, Committee Member

Editorial Committee Member, The Hankyoreh

Graduated from Korea Military Academy, Class of 40