Leaked Notes Hint South Korea Might Have Sent Drones to North Korea on Purpose to Spark Tensions

Recent findings from the notebook belonging to Noh Sang Won, the former head of the South Korean Military Intelligence Command, have strengthened allegations that South Korea intentionally sent drones to provoke an attack from North Korea. Currently a civilian, Noh is under investigation for orchestrating the December 3 martial law incident.

According to the National Office of Investigation’s Special Investigation Team, a memo in Noh’s notebook retrieved from his residence reads, “Induce an attack from the North at the Northern Limit Line (NLL).” Officials stated on Monday that this aligns with claims that then-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun attempted to provoke North Korea as part of plans for martial law. However, it remains unconfirmed whether any actions were taken based on the note.

On December 9, Rep. Park Beom Kye of the Democratic Party of Korea alleged that the South Korean military had sent a drone over Pyongyang in October under instructions from former Minister Kim. Park claimed to have received the information from military whistleblowers, describing the drone operation as part of the preparations for the declaration of martial law. The military has denied these allegations.

On October 11, North Korea’s Ministry of Defense reported that a South Korean drone had entered Pyongyang’s airspace. Its. The drone’s debris revealed that it was a long-range reconnaissance mini-drone equipped by the South Korean military’s Drone Operations Command. North Korea claimed the drone matched the model showcased during South Korea’s Armed Forces Day and that its flight control program contained 238 flight plans logged between June 2023 and October 2024, all within South Korean territory.

At the time, the South Korean military declined to comment, while public opinion leaned toward skepticism, speculating that North Korea might have staged the incident. However, following the martial law crisis, analyses suggesting that South Korea intentionally used drones to provoke North Korea into creating a wartime scenario have gained traction, supported by Noh’s memo.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, stated in an earlier interview with this newspaper, “While it was not publicly acknowledged at the time, I found it unlikely that the incident was a North Korean fabrication or an action by South Korean civilians.” He added, “It is more plausible that the military was involved.” Hong cited the improbability of civilian drones being able to fly 300–400 kilometers roundtrip to Pyongyang, cross the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) undetected, and leave behind debris identical to components from South Korea’s publicly displayed drone models. He emphasized, “The drone’s appearance closely matches the one displayed at the Armed Forces Day ceremony, and the identical parts in the wreckage strongly suggest its authenticity.”

Police revealed that Noh’s notebook also contained phrases such as “blockade the National Assembly” and listed politicians, journalists, religious leaders, union members, judges, and public officials as targets for collection. Some names, including those of judges, were explicitly mentioned. The term “collection” is interpreted as referring to arrests. The notebook also outlined methods for detaining and processing these individuals. The police noted that Noh’s notebook is a palm-sized document containing 60-70 pages, with significant portions dedicated to martial law-related plans.