SEOUL, April 6 (Reuters) – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday expressed regret to North Korea over a drone incursion that he said was carried out by a South Korean individual without government approval, stressing Seoul’s commitment to preventing future incidents.
“Although it was not our government’s intention, we express our regret to the North over the fact that unnecessary military tensions were caused by the irresponsible and reckless actions of some individuals,” Lee said in a cabinet meeting.
Lee said an investigation by South Korean authorities found a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee and an active-duty military official were involved in the case, adding that the constitution forbade individual acts of provocation against North Korea.
Pyongyang said in January that drones sent from the South had violated its airspace, accusing Seoul of a serious provocation and saying it had shot them down.
South Korea denied any military involvement and launched a joint military-police probe, which led prosecutors to indict a South Korean man in his 30s on charges including violating aviation and national security laws over the unauthorised drone flights, according to authorities.
North Korea in recent months has declared South Korea as its most hostile state and rebuffed outreach efforts by Lee’s administration.
(Reporting by Kyu-seok ShimEditing by Ed Davies)
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