North Korea has instructed its artillery units stationed near the South Korean border to be on high alert for potential firing, following tensions related to drone activities that Pyongyang claims are occurring across the border, as reported by state media on Sunday.

In South Korea, some defectors and activists have been sending aid packages and dropping leaflets that criticize Kim Jong Un. North Korea has attributed this practice to the South Korean military and has retaliated by releasing balloons containing waste into South Korea.

According to a spokesperson from North Korea’s defense ministry, as reported by the state news agency KCNA, there is a significant concern regarding the possibility of additional drones entering the capital, prompting the military to prepare for various scenarios, including potential conflict. On Friday, North Korea accused South Korea of deploying drones over Pyongyang during the previous week, asserting that such incursions warranted a response. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong Un, issued a warning to Seoul on Saturday, indicating that a “horrible disaster” could ensue.

The responsibility rests with the South Korean military if it did not detect drones dispatched by a non-governmental organization that crossed the border, she stated. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated that they could not verify the claims made by North Korea.