North Korea announced it had confirmed, after analyzing the flight records of a drone that crashed in Pyongyang, that the drone originated from Baengnyeongdo Island, located in the northernmost part of the Yellow Sea. This assertion, relayed by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Oct. 28, reinforces Pyongyang’s claim that the drone belonged to the South Korean military.
According to KCNA, the North Korean Ministry of National Defense released the final findings from its investigation, labeling the incident a “reckless infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK by the South.” The report details the drone’s launch location, flight path, and intended mission, which it claims included crossing into North Korean airspace from South Korea.
A spokesperson from the Ministry stated that a comprehensive disassembly and analysis of the drone’s flight control program uncovered 238 recorded flight plans dated between June 5, 2023, and Oct. 8, 2024. The spokesperson asserted that, aside from the data recorded on Oct. 8, all flight records pertained exclusively to operations within South Korean airspace.
The Ministry further alleged that the drone launched from South Korea’s Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea at 11:25 p.m. on Oct. 8, subsequently violating North Korean airspace. It reportedly flew over South Hwanghae Province’s Jangyon, waters surrounding the Cho and Namjoap islets, and Chollima District in Nampho before reaching Pyongyang.
The spokesperson claimed that at 1:32 a.m. on Oct. 9, the drone dropped “political propaganda materials” near the Foreign Ministry building and the Victory metro station, with further drops recorded near the Ministry of Defense building at 1:35 a.m.
The report was accompanied by a graphic released by North Korea that mapped the drone’s flight path on Oct. 8. The green-marked route shows the drone ascending from Baengnyeongdo Island, following the western coastline in a clockwise direction before entering Pyongyang’s airspace.
North Korean authorities indicated that a joint investigative task force—including specialists from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of State Security, and other agencies—undertook a full analysis of the drone’s wreckage, scrutinizing its flight control module, plans, and recorded logs.
Highlighting what he described as “the vile and shamelessly provocative actions of the South Korean military,” the spokesperson accused Seoul of repeatedly refusing to take responsibility for the incident. He warned that if “this rogue state, South Korea, continues to infringe on our sovereignty under the misguided influence of its allies,” North Korea would respond with “relentless countermeasures to eradicate the source of all provocations.”
