South Korea has initiated a comprehensive military-police investigation into allegations made by North Korea that drones originating from the South violated its airspace. North Korea's state media, KCNA, reported that South Korean drones intruded in September last year (2025) and again on January 4, 2026, claiming to have shot down the aircraft and recovered wreckage and aerial photographs. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered the swift probe on January 11, 2026, emphasizing that if civilian drones were found to be responsible, it would constitute a "serious crime" that threatens national security and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean Defense Ministry has categorically denied any military involvement, stating that its forces do not operate the drone models described by North Korea and did not fly any drones on the dates in question. The ongoing investigation is therefore examining the possibility of civilian drone operations. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, publicly urged South Korea to provide detailed explanations regarding the drone incidents. Despite the heightened tensions, South Korea has expressed its willingness to conduct a joint investigation with North Korea, though no formal proposal has yet been made. This incident further strains inter-Korean relations, as President Lee's administration has previously sought to re-engage with Pyongyang, only to be met with rebuffs. The allegations follow previous drone incursions by North Korea into South Korean airspace in December 2022 and North Korean accusations of South Korean drone activity in October 2024, highlighting the persistent volatility on the peninsula.