SEOUL, OCT 14 – South Korea’s military said today it is fully prepared to respond after North Korea ordered its troops on the border to prepare to open fire in a dispute over a drone flight into Pyongyang.
North Korea has accused Seoul of flying drones over its capital to drop propaganda leaflets filled with rumors and rubbish, and warned yesterday it would declare war if another drone was detected.
Seoul’s military initially denied the drone flights, focusing only on an activist group in the South that has long sent US propaganda and currency to the north, usually via balloon.
But the North insists Seoul remains to blame, announcing yesterday it had told eight artillery brigades it had on the battlefield to be fully prepared to fire, including strengthening control of an air observation post in Pyongyang.
“Our military is monitoring the situation closely and is fully prepared,” spokesman for the Southern Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Lee Seong-joon, told a news briefing.
Pyongyang claims propaganda drones have entered its capital’s airspace three times in recent days, with Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of the leader, Kim Jong Un, warning of a dire disaster unless they stop. – AFP
