SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥 The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday accused South Korea of deliberately avoiding responsibility for the alleged flights of South Korean drones over the North鈥檚 capital, and warned of a 鈥渢errible calamity鈥 if they continue.
The statement by Kim Yo Jong came a day after North Korea鈥檚 Foreign Ministry claimed that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets were detected in the night skies over Pyongyang on Oct. 3, and Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The ministry said North Korean forces will prepare 鈥渁ll means of attack鈥 capable of destroying the southern side of the border and the South Korean military, and respond without warning if South Korean drones are detected in its territory again.
South Korea鈥檚 defense minister initially denied the accusation, but the South鈥檚 military later adjusted its response, saying it couldn鈥檛 confirm whether or not the North鈥檚 claims were true.
In comments published through state media, Kim, one of her brother鈥檚 top foreign policy officials, said that the South Korean military鈥檚 vague statements should be taken as proof that it was 鈥渆ither the main culprit or accomplice in this incident.鈥
鈥淚f the military stood by while its own citizens employed drones, a widely recognized multi-purpose military tool, to violate another country鈥檚 sovereignty, thereby increasing the risk of armed conflict with a potential adversary, this would amount to intentional acquiescence and collusion,鈥 she said.
鈥淭he moment a South Korean drone is discovered once again in skies above our capital, a terrible calamity will surely occur. I personally hope that does not happen.鈥
South Korea鈥檚 military and government didn鈥檛 immediately respond to Kim鈥檚 comments.
are now at their worst in years as the pace of both North Korea鈥檚 missile tests and the South鈥檚 combined military training with the United States have intensified in tit-for-tat. The animosity has been exacerbated by Cold War-style psychological warfare campaigns between the Koreas in recent months.
Since May, North Korea has sent thousands of balloons carrying paper waste, plastic and other trash to drop on the South, in what it described as retaliation against South Korean civilian activists who flew balloons with anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets across the border.
South Korea鈥檚 military responded to the North鈥檚 balloon campaign by using border loudspeakers to broadcast propaganda and K-pop to North Korea.
North Korea is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of the authoritarian government of leader Kim Jong Un and his family鈥檚 dynastic rule.
South Korean officials have been raising concern that North Korea may seek to dial up pressure on Seoul and Washington ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. Experts say Kim's long-term goal is to eventually force Washington to accept North Korea as a nuclear power and to negotiate security and economic concessions from a position of strength.
In written answers to questions by The Associated Press this month, said North Korea is likely preparing major provocations around the U.S. election, possibly including a test detonation of a nuclear device or flight-test of an intercontinental ballistic missile test, as it tries to grab Washington鈥檚 attention.
