South Korean police on Tuesday raided the country’s intelligence services as part of an expanding investigation into suspected government involvement in drone flights into North Korea earlier this year.
Investigators from a joint military–police task force searched 18 locations, including the Defense Intelligence Command and the National Intelligence Service, authorities said. The raids are linked to a drone that North Korea claims was flown into its territory and shot down over Kaesong in January.
Pyongyang accused Seoul of sending the drone to drop propaganda leaflets and released images it said showed debris from the downed aircraft. The South Korean government initially denied any official role, with President Lee Jae Myung warning at the time that such an act would amount to a dangerous provocation.
Authorities now say they are investigating three active-duty soldiers and one intelligence agency employee in connection with the incident. Three civilians have already been charged. One has publicly claimed responsibility, saying the flight was intended to measure radiation levels near North Korea’s Pyongsan uranium facility.
The investigation also casts renewed scrutiny on former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on trial over allegations he illegally ordered drone flights into North Korea to help justify a declaration of martial law in late 2024. Prosecutors say the actions were designed to provoke a response from Pyongyang and create conditions for emergency rule. Yoon was impeached and removed from office last year after the plan collapsed.
Since taking office, Lee has sought to reduce tensions with the North, including ordering the removal of propaganda loudspeakers along the border. He has previously suggested an apology might be warranted for his predecessor’s alleged actions, though he cautioned against fueling domestic political divisions.
North Korea, meanwhile, has showcased new attack drones and accused the South of repeated provocations, as cross-border tensions continue despite intermittent efforts at de-escalation.
