The ROK military has conceded that a North Korean drone breached a special no-fly zone near the presidential office in Seoul in late December, after repeatedly and forcefully denying media reports that the security violation had occurred for more than a week.

The defense ministry previously said the DPRK’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had entered Seoul airspace but had not flown through the no-fly zone dubbed P-73, claiming that the military has more advanced assets around the presidential office to detect intrusions.