Summary of inter-Korean news this week

NK weekly-inter-Korean news

Summary of inter-Korean news this week

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.

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Cheong Wa Dae reaffirms no intention of provoking N. Korea over drone incursion

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.

In a statement, the Office of National Security at Cheong Wa Dae said, "The government once again confirms that it has no intention of provoking or irritating the North side."

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Seoul reaffirms continued efforts to ease tensions with Pyongyang amid drone incursion claim

SEOUL -- The government will continue efforts to ease tensions and build trust with North Korea despite Pyongyang's recent claim accusing Seoul of carrying out drone incursions into the country, the unification ministry said Monday.

Unification ministry spokesperson Yoon Min-ho made the remarks after President Lee Jae Myung ordered last week the creation of a joint military-police investigation team to look into the alleged drone incursions.

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Defense ministry vows 'swift' probe into N. Korea's drone incursion claim

SEOUL -- The defense ministry on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to swiftly cooperate with the police to carry out President Lee Jae Myung's instruction for a probe into drone incursion allegations made by North Korea.

On Saturday, Lee ordered a prompt investigation into alleged drone incursions into the North, warning that such acts would constitute "a grave crime" that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security if true.

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Police, military launch joint probe into N. Korea's claim of drone incursion

SEOUL -- Police and military officials launched a joint investigation Monday to investigate North Korea's claims of drone incursions across the inter-Korean border.

On Saturday, the North's military claimed that South Korea violated the North's sovereignty by sending drones into its territory in September and on Jan. 4, but Seoul's defense ministry denied the claim.

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N. Korea replaces top officials guarding leader Kim Jong-un: unification ministry

SEOUL -- North Korea has replaced its top officials in charge of guarding leader Kim Jong-un in recent years, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday.

North Korea has changed the chiefs of three major North Korean units defending the security of the North's leader -- the Guard Office of the ruling party, the Guard Department of the State Affairs Commission and the Guard Command -- the ministry said in its analysis of the major reshuffle of North Korean officials in 2025.

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Seoul views Pyongyang as leaving room for communication over drone incursions claim

SEOUL -- The unification ministry on Tuesday assessed North Korea as leaving room for "communication," referring to a recent statement by the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over South Korea's alleged drone incursions.

Kim Yo-jong issued a statement Sunday demanding Seoul's detailed explanation, a day after North Korea claimed South Korea violated the North's airspace by sending drones across the border in September and on Jan. 4.

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Seoul to take corresponding action after probe into drone incursions alleged by North: minister

SEOUL -- South Korea will take action corresponding to the results of its ongoing investigation into drone incursions alleged by North Korea, the unification minister said Wednesday.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made the remarks at a policy briefing by agencies affiliated with the ministry, a day after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, again demanded that Seoul apologize for violating the North's sovereignty.

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S. Korea considers restoring pact reducing military tension with N. Korea

NARA, Japan -- South Korea has been considering restoring a suspended pact with North Korea on reducing military activities along their border and relevant discussions were under way, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Wednesday.

The pact was signed in 2018 between former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but it was fully suspended in 2024 due to heightened tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.

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S. Korea to swiftly address alleged drone incursion into N. Korea: minister

SEOUL -- South Korea will swiftly address drone incursions into North Korea alleged by Pyongyang and continue efforts to ease tensions and build trust with the regime based on the outcome of a probe into the matter, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Thursday.

Chung reaffirmed the stance during a meeting with the ministry's advisory panel on building peace on the Korean Peninsula, which comprises his predecessors and experts, including former Unification Ministers Jeong Se-hyun and Kim Yeon-chul.

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Unification, foreign ministries launch regular consultative channel on N. Korea policy

SEOUL -- The unification and foreign ministries launched their vice ministerial-level consultative channel to coordinate policies on North Korea on Friday, officials said.

Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung and Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence at the foreign ministry, held a luncheon meeting earlier in the day in the inaugural session of regular consultations, according to the unification ministry.

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