The Ministry of National Defense said it would investigate the possibility that the North's claim that Korea sent in a drone may have involved the civilian sector. It also said it would work with related government agencies to conduct the probe to verify this.
On the 10th, Kim Hong-chul, director general for defense policy at the Ministry of National Defense, said, "In the first-stage findings, our military did not possess the drone in question," and "There is also no fact that a drone was operated at the time on the date North Korea released."
He added, "We plan to thoroughly investigate, in cooperation with related government agencies, the possibility that a drone was operated in the civilian sector."
That day, North Korea, through a statement by the Spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, claimed that Korea sent in drones in September last year and on the 4th of this month. The party organ Rodong Sinmun also carried photos of the drone and footage it shot.
On this, Kim said, "We have no intention to provoke or irritate North Korea," and "We will continue measures and efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions and build trust."
The presidential office held a working-level coordination meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), chaired by Kim Hyun-jong, first deputy director of the Office of National Security, to respond to North Korea's claims that day.