Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of North Korea's Labor Party, called Chung Dong-young, Minister of the Ministry of Unification's expression of regret over the "intrusion of unmanned aerial vehicles into the North" a "relatively common-sense action," but urged the government to prepare concrete measures that go beyond a simple apology to ensure prevention of a recurrence.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 13th that in a statement released the previous day, Vice Director Kim said, "We think it is fortunate that Chung Dong-young, South Korea's Minister of the Ministry of Unification, officially expressed regret on the 10th over the incident of an anti-Republic drone intrusion that occurred at the very beginning of the new year."
Earlier, Minister Chung said in a congratulatory address at a Mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral on the evening of the 10th, "We express deep regret to the North regarding the reckless drone infiltration that occurred this time." This is the first time a senior government official has expressed regret to North Korea over the drone incident.
However, Vice Director Kim drew a line, saying the situation should not be wrapped up with an expression of regret alone. Kim argued, "Rather than trying to muddle through a self-inflicted crisis with something like an expression of regret, collateral measures must be devised to reliably prevent a recurrence of a grave sovereignty infringement incident such as the intrusion into the airspace of our Republic."
Kim also said, "We do not care who the main culprit is, whether an individual or a private organization," stressing, "The crux of the matter is the very fact that a serious act of sovereignty infringement occurred in which our national airspace was trespassed without authorization from South Korea." Kim continued the threatening remarks, saying, "If a provocative incident that infringes on the inviolable and sacred sovereignty of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea recurs, a harsh response will surely be taken," and, "One of the various response-attack plans will clearly be chosen and will transcend proportionality."
Finally, Vice Director Kim added, "The South Korean authorities should turn their attention to preventing a recurrence so that foolish acts are not carried out internally."