South Korea to probe drones North Korea says violated its airspace

FILE PHOTO: A North Korean flag flutters on top of a 160-metre tower in North Korea's propaganda village of Gijungdong in this picture taken from the Dora observatory near the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

SEOUL, Jan 12 (Reuters) - South ‌Korean authorities have launched an investigation focused on the ‌possibility civilians may have flown drones that North Korea ‌said violated its airspace, the DefenceMinistry said on Monday.

President Lee Jae Myung has vowed a swift probe and said on Saturday if civilians had indeed ‍operated the unmanned aircraft, it would ‍be a "serious crime" that threatened ‌South Korea's security and peace on the Korean peninsula.