Seoul: Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday reaffirmed that South Korea has no intention of provoking or irritating North Korea, after Pyongyang again blamed the South for drone incursions into the North and demanded an explanation.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Office of National Security at Cheong Wa Dae stated, "The government once again confirms that it has no intention of provoking or irritating the North side." The office emphasized that the South Korean government plans to investigate the recent drone incident through a joint military-police probe and will promptly disclose the results of this investigation. The office also pledged continued efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions and build trust between the two nations.

The statement from Cheong Wa Dae came on the same day Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, demanded a detailed explanation from Seoul. This demand followed the North Korean military's claim that the South had violated its sovereignty by sending drones in September and on January 4. The South Korean military, however, denied any involvement in sending the drones or operating the models found in the North, suggesting that private entities might have been responsible and promising a thorough investigation.

Sources indicated that the Office of National Security convened a meeting on Sunday with officials from the military, police, and relevant ministries to assess the progress of the joint probe, which had been ordered by President Lee Jae Myung the previous day. While Cheong Wa Dae did not confirm the meeting, it did state that the government is actively taking steps in response to President Lee's instructions.