Kim Yo-jong, the deputy head of North Korea's Workers' Party, commended Minister of Unification Jeong Dong-young for his expression of regret regarding a recent drone incursion into South Korean airspace, calling it a 'relatively sensible action'. This remark was made during a statement on the 12th and conveyed through the Korean Central News Agency on the 13th. Jeong, on the 10th, had publicly voiced his regret during a mass in Myeongdong, marking the first time a high-ranking South Korean official had officially acknowledged the drone incident's seriousness.

Despite her positive response to Jeong's regret, Kim emphasized that South Korean authorities should focus not just on verbal regrets but on establishing robust measures to prevent similar serious violations of sovereignty in the future. She expressed that regardless of who is behind the drone incursions, whether individuals or organizations, North Korea is primarily concerned with the infringement of its airspace, which constitutes a significant breach of sovereignty. Kim warned that should such provocative actions recur, North Korea would respond harshly, promising that one of many retaliatory options would be chosen, and it would exceed proportionality.

The dialogue from Kim Yo-jong following Jeong's expression of regret has sparked speculation that the South Korean government might accelerate the restoration of the no-fly zone established under the September 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. However, some interpret Kim's remarks as a strategic framing aimed at asserting North Korea's superiority in the context of the drone incident. This suggests that the ongoing tension may continue to shape diplomatic discussions between the two Koreas as they navigate their sensitive relationship.