In Response to Criticism of 'Appeasing North Korea' Over Drone Incident, President Lee Says "Waging War Without Cause Is Wrong"

In response to criticism from opposition parties that the joint military-police investigation order regarding the drone discovered in North Korea amounts to "appeasing North Korea," President Lee Jaemyung stated, "The attitude of being willing to go to war for no real reason is wrong," adding, "Peace is the economy, and it is the best form of security."

Yonhap News Agency

On January 16, President Lee shared an article titled "'President Lee, Taking a Submissive Stance Toward North Korea'... Opposition Criticizes Order for Joint Military-Police Drone Investigation" on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and made these remarks.

Previously, a spokesperson for the General Staff Department of the North Korean military claimed that South Korea had sent drones across the border in September last year and again on the 4th of this month, and that North Korea had shot them down. According to photos released by North Korea, the drone in question closely resembles the "Skywalker Titan 2160," a civilian drone model manufactured by China's Skywalker Technology. This model is sold online for approximately 150 to 600 dollars (about 210,000 to 870,000 Korean won), depending on its specifications.

Kim Hongcheol, Director of Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, stated, "Our military does not possess this type of drone, nor did we operate any drones during the time periods specified by North Korea."

The presidential office is leaving open the possibility that the drone may have been operated by civilians and is conducting an investigation. In relation to this, on January 10, President Lee stated, "If this is true, it constitutes a serious crime that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security," and ordered a thorough investigation by a joint military-police investigation team. Wi Sunglak, Director of the National Security Office, also commented on North Korea's claim of a South Korean drone incursion, saying, "It has been determined that neither the military nor the government was involved," and added, "Sending a drone to North Korea would violate current law and the armistice agreement, so we cannot simply overlook this."

Following President Lee's order for a thorough investigation by the joint military-police team, the People Power Party, through a statement by spokesperson Cho Yongsul on January 11, criticized, "The core of the drone incursion controversy is the Lee Jaemyung administration's automatic submissiveness in front of North Korea and the military's failure to maintain combat readiness." Jeong Ihan, spokesperson for the Reform Party, also criticized, "As soon as North Korea claimed that 'South Korea sent a drone,' the government immediately drew a line by saying 'it wasn't us,' and then went so far as to announce a thorough investigation into the civilian sector, making innocent citizens the subject of investigation."