North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s influential sister, in a rare move, praised South Korean authorities for pledging to prevent any future drone incursions into Pyongyang, state-run media has reported.
Kim Yo-jong, a senior official in the Workers’ Party of Korea, said she appreciates the recent statement by South Korea’s unification minister, according to the Korean Central News Agency on Thursday.
"I highly appreciate that Jong Tong Yong, minister of Unification of the ROK (Republic of Korea), officially acknowledged the ROK-born drone's provocative intrusion into the airspace of our country, expressing regret once again and willingness to prevent recurrence on February 18," she said.
It marked the second time in a week that Kim issued a statement praising South Korea. Last week, she commended Seoul authorities for expressing “regret” over alleged drone flights into northern airspace.
‘A strong warning’
On Wednesday, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed "regret" over drone incursions into the North and announced a series of measures to prevent any recurrence.
Despite the conciliatory tone, Kim also warned there would be "terrible consequences" if any violation of North Korea’s sovereignty occurred again.
"This is not a threat but a strong warning," she said, adding that the North Korean military will take for heightening vigilance in all sectors along the southern border.
Previously, Chung expressed regret over drone dispatches from the South on Jan. 4 and in September, incidents that Pyongyang alleged last month.
The latest exchange between Seoul and Pyongyang is widely viewed as a constructive signal for strained inter-Korean relations, as the Lee Jae-myung administration seeks to resume dialogue aimed at reducing military tensions and improving bilateral ties.
