ISTANBUL

North Korea on Monday accused the South Korean military of orchestrating drone infiltrations over its capital, Pyongyang, escalating tensions on the heavily fortified Korean Peninsula.

Kim Yo Jong, a senior official in North Korea and sister of leader Kim Jong Un, alleged that “the military dregs of the ROK (South Korea) are chiefly to blame for the case of drone infiltration into Pyongyang,” according to a statement released by state media.

The accusations follow North Korea’s claims of detecting drones flying over Pyongyang carrying anti-regime leaflets on multiple occasions last week, including Oct. 3 as well as last Wednesday and Thursday.

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun initially denied any involvement in drone flights across the border. Later, however, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that they were unable to verify North Korea’s claims regarding the alleged incursions.

In response to the purported drone activity, Pyongyang issued a strong warning on Sunday, ordering artillery units stationed near the South Korean border to be on high alert for possible strikes and cautioning that “a horrible disaster” could unfold if North Korea’s sovereignty was violated.

Kim Yo Jong’s statement further intensified the rhetoric, asserting that “if the sovereignty of a nuclear weapons state was violated by mongrels tamed by Yankees, the master of those dogs should be held accountable,” an apparent reference to the United States, a close ally of South Korea.

The South Korean government, in turn, expressed concern that North Korea may be preparing for explosions at roads connecting the two Koreas, a potential indication of heightened defensive measures. Last week, Pyongyang warned the US military stationed in South Korea to avoid “misjudgment and accidental conflict” regarding its ongoing border fortification project, which the North Korean People’s Army claimed would “completely separate” North Korea from South Korea.