Seoul, Feb 19 (NationPress) The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed her high regard for South Korea's commitment to prevent future drone incursions into the North, promising to enhance the nation's border security against the South.

Kim Yo-jong, serving as a vice department director within the ruling party, made the remarks through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shortly after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young conveyed his regret over the drone incidents and announced initiatives aimed at averting similar occurrences.

"I have great respect for Minister Chung Dong-young's acknowledgment of the ROK-born drone's provocative intrusion into our airspace, reiterating his regret and commitment to prevent a repeat of such actions," Kim stated.

ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, the formal name for South Korea.

During a press briefing the previous day, Chung confirmed that investigations revealed drones were dispatched to the North by South Korean individuals on four occasions between last September and February, with two incidents verified by the North.

Chung mentioned that Seoul would consider reinstating the suspended 2018 military agreement with North Korea, which was designed to halt hostilities along the inter-Korean border and establish a no-fly zone, as part of efforts to prevent further drone incursions.

In January, Pyongyang accused Seoul of sending drones equipped with surveillance capabilities in September and again on January 4, leading to an official inquiry by the South Korean government.

Kim issued a stern warning that South Korea would incur serious repercussions if such a violation of sovereignty were to happen again, stating, "This is not a threat, but a strong warning, regardless of who orchestrates it or how it is executed."

She asserted that ensuring the prevention of repeated sovereignty violations is "crucial for the ROK's survival."

Furthermore, she warned that the border with the "enemy" must be rigorously defended, adding, "Our military leadership will enhance vigilance across all sectors along the southern border with the ROK."

In a year-end meeting in December 2023, North's leader Kim Jong-un characterized inter-Korean relations as those between "two hostile states" and has since adopted aggressive policies towards Seoul, according to Yonhap news agency.

An official from the South Korean unification ministry noted that the ministry acknowledges North Korea's swift response to Chung's comments, reiterating Seoul's commitment to pursue the announced preventive measures responsibly.