Tensions between North and South Korea escalate

North Korea has accused South Korea of ​​flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over its capital Pyongyang to drop leaflets containing "seditious rumors and rubbish." Pyongyang warned on October 13 that if another UAV is found, it will consider it a "declaration of war."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (center) fires a sniper rifle at an undisclosed location in North Korea.

The South Korean military has previously denied being behind the drone flights, while speculation has focused on South Korean activist groups that have long sent leaflets and US dollars to North Korea, often via balloons.

However, Pyongyang insisted Seoul was responsible and announced late on October 13 that it had ordered eight artillery brigades on combat readiness to "prepare to fire" and to strengthen aerial observation posts in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang claims propaganda drones have entered its capital Pyongyang's airspace three times in recent days, and Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned of a "terrible disaster" if they were not stopped.

In response, spokesman Lee Seong-joon of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said at a press conference today: "Our military is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to respond to North Korea's provocations."

The JCS neither confirmed nor denied that South Korean soldiers were responsible for sending the UAVs across the border, instead calling North Korea's claim "shameless." Mr. Lee said that North Korea could not even confirm the origin of the UAVs in the skies over Pyongyang but blamed South Korea, while remaining silent about the fact that it had launched UAVs toward South Korea up to 10 times.

There is currently no information on North Korea's reaction to the statement from JCS.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cang-thang-han-quoc-trieu-tien-tang-nhiet-185241014151123207.htm