South Korea's Lee expresses regret to North Korea over drone incursion

SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday expressed regret to North Korea over a recent drone incursion, saying it was carried out by a South Korean individual without government approval. He emphasized Seoul’s commitment to preventing similar incidents in the future.

“Although it was not our government’s intention, we express our regret to the North over the fact that unnecessary military tensions were caused by the irresponsible and reckless actions of some individuals,” Lee said during a cabinet meeting.

Lee added that an investigation by South Korean authorities identified the involvement of a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee and an active-duty military officer. He stressed that the constitution prohibits individual acts of provocation against North Korea.

In January, Pyongyang reported that drones from the South had violated its airspace, accusing Seoul of a serious provocation and claiming that the drones were shot down.

South Korea denied any military involvement and launched a joint military-police investigation. Authorities said the probe led to the indictment of a South Korean man in his 30s on charges including violations of aviation and national security laws over the unauthorized drone flights.

Relations between the two Koreas remain tense. In recent months, North Korea has labeled South Korea its most hostile state and rejected outreach efforts by Lee’s administration.

-Reporting by Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Ed Davies/Reuters