South Korea

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

North Korea Demands Apology Amid Escalating Drone Incursion Dispute
Jan. 15, 2026 | Geopolitics & Defense

Tensions between North and South Korea have escalated following allegations of unauthorized drone flights and a subsequent demand for an apology from Pyongyang.

**Kim Yo-jong, deputy head of the North Korean Workers’ Party and sister of leader Kim Jong-un, rejected South Korea’s overtures for renewed communication after accusing Seoul of sending unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into North Korean airspace.**
She dismissed any hopes for improved inter-Korean relations as a “pipe dream and delusion,” described the South Korean government’s response as “pitiful,” and warned that further provocations would trigger consequences far more severe than mere verbal threats or proportional retaliation.

**North Korea claims that on January 4, a surveillance-equipped drone violated its airspace over Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, representing a serious breach of sovereignty.**
Pyongyang first announced the incident on January 10 through the Korean Central News Agency, demanding a formal acknowledgment and apology from Seoul. Kim Yo-jong reiterated that any repeat incursions would exact an “unbearable price,” insisting her warning was not idle rhetoric.

**South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense denies owning or deploying the drone and has launched a joint military-police investigation to trace its origin, even considering that civilian operators, rather than the military, could be responsible.**
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Seoul remains open to dialogue once inquiries conclude and North Korea responds. He criticized Pyongyang’s choice to air its accusations via state media instead of through established inter-Korean channels, calling that approach “unnatural and abnormal.” Chung added that South Korea might issue an official apology for drone deployments in 2024 under the previous administration—an option now under legal review—and noted that the investigation’s findings will guide any further actions, echoing past expressions of regret after the 2020 killing of a South Korean government employee in the Yellow Sea.
Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon Arrested for Alleged Role in Violent Courthouse Riot
Jan. 15, 2026 | Non-Interstate Conflict & Security

Conservative pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon was arrested in connection with a riot that erupted outside a Seoul courthouse following the extension of former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s detention.

**On January 14, 2026, the Seoul Western District Court ordered Jeon’s arrest, citing concerns that he might destroy evidence or flee after his arraignment.**
The warrant accuses him of participating in a courthouse riot orchestrated by supporters of ex-President Yoon. Police detained Jeon at the station while the court considers his case, with a ruling on the warrant expected by Tuesday night.

**The riot broke out on January 19, 2025, after the court extended Yoon’s detention over his December 2024 martial law declaration.**
As protesters gathered outside the courthouse, clashes with law enforcement turned violent. Prosecutors contend that Jeon incited the crowd by urging them to exercise their right of resistance, effectively promoting violent action against police and judicial proceedings.

**By December 2025, authorities had indicted 141 individuals for their roles in the riot.**
Prosecutors allege that Jeon leveraged his position as pastor of Seoul’s Sarang Jeil Church to organize and mobilize demonstrators, coordinating actions and broadcasting calls for resistance through public speeches, private communications, and social media posts.

**At a January 13, 2026 hearing, Jeon denied all charges, calling the arrest politically motivated and accusing the presidential secretary for civil affairs of orchestrating the timing amid the shift from a right-wing to a left-wing administration.**
His defense maintains that his remarks qualify as protected political expression rather than criminal incitement.

**Jeon’s recent arrest follows earlier detentions in 2017 and 2020 on allegations of illegal election campaigning.**
In those cases, prosecutors claimed he violated election laws by mobilizing church members and organizing rallies during campaign periods, a history that the court cited when assessing his risk of flight and potential evidence destruction.

Monitored Intelligence for South Korea - Jan. 15, 2026


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Cyberattack at Kyowon exposes over 9 mln user accounts to possible breach: sources

Yonhap | English | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

South Korean cybersecurity authorities estimate that approximately 9.6 million user accounts may have been affected by a recent cyberattack on Kyowon Group, an education service provider. The breach was detected after Kyowon reported abnormal activities in its internal systems on Saturday and later found traces of a ransomware attack. Authorities estimate that 600 of the company’s 800 servers were compromised.

Kyowon Group operates across diverse sectors such as tutoring, home appliance rentals, and funeral services, with eight affiliates holding a total of 13 million members, which narrows to 5.54 million when duplicate accounts are removed. The 9.6 million figure includes users holding multiple accounts, indicating a potentially vast scope of impact.

Kyowon has not yet confirmed if personal data was actually leaked but stated that an investigation is ongoing with relevant security agencies to determine the extent of the breach. The company promised to notify users transparently if customer data leakage is confirmed.

Kim Yo-jong shuts door on engagement after Seoul cites room for dialogue

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | North Korea

Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, unequivocally rejected any prospects of improving inter-Korean relations, dismissing South Korea’s hopes for dialogue as “daydreams.” Her statement, issued via the state-run Korean Central News Agency, emphasized that the current state of relations between North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea (ROK) will not change, reaffirming Pyongyang's stance based on Kim Jong-un’s “two hostile states” doctrine which views the two Koreas as separate adversaries rather than parts of a divided nation.

This hardline position came after a senior South Korean Unification Ministry official interpreted Kim Yo-jong’s earlier remarks on a drone incursion incident as potentially opening a small window for easing tensions and resuming communication. Despite the ministry’s commitment to restoring relations even if only a 1 percent chance exists, experts saw Kim’s latest comments as a move to rein in South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung administration, pressuring Seoul to acknowledge the drone incident, apologize, and prevent future occurrences.

Pyongyang’s sharp reaction reflects its unease with Lee’s intensified diplomatic outreach, including his recent state visit to China where he asked President Xi Jinping to mediate on the Korean Peninsula. The statement was also issued shortly after a South Korea-Japan summit in which the leaders, along with the United States, pledged close coordination toward North Korea’s complete denuclearization. Analysts believe North Korea’s response aims to undermine these peace and denuclearization efforts and preempt any mediation attempts.

버려진 자석에서 값비싼 희토류 뽑아낸다…고려아연의 ‘신연금술’

Extracting Valuable Rare Earths from Discarded Magnets… Korea Zinc’s New Alchemy

Maekyung | Local Language | News | Jan. 15, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Korea Zinc has formed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based Alta Resources Technologies to extract rare earth oxides from discarded permanent magnets through an urban mining operation in the United States. The joint venture will operate on Korea Zinc’s U.S. subsidiary PedalPoint’s existing electronic waste recycling sites in cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. The project is set to begin commercial production in 2027, targeting an initial output of 100 tons per year of high-purity rare earth elements such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium needed for electric vehicles, wind power, and defense sectors.

This collaboration aims to diversify and secure the rare earth supply chain, which is currently over 90% dependent on China’s refining capacity, by establishing a domestic rare earth oxide production system in the U.S. Alta Resources brings "precision mining" biochemical technologies capable of separating and refining low-concentration rare earths from complex waste materials. The urban mining approach allows Korea Zinc to recover valuable rare earth metals from electronic waste and permanent magnets without the large investments and environmental risks typical of traditional mine development.

The project aligns with Korea Zinc chairman Choi Yoon-beom’s "Troika Drive" growth strategy, which focuses on renewable energy, secondary battery materials, and resource circulation. Expanding the resource circulation business to include rare earth elements complements Korea Zinc’s existing metal recovery operations and supports the company’s role as a trusted supplier to advanced technology manufacturers in both Korea and the U.S. The initiative also contributes to building a critical minerals hub in North America, reinforcing economic security amid global supply chain challenges.

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