Published: 18:15, October 16, 2024 | Updated: 21:13, October 16, 2024
Report: Over 1.4m apply to join DPRK army after drone incursion incident
By Xinhua
This picture taken on Oct 7, 2024 and released from DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on Oct 8, 2024 shows teachers, students and graduates of Kim Jong-un University of National Defence listening to DPRK top leader Kim Jong-un's speech for its 60th founding anniversary in Pyongyang. (KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)

SEOUL - More than 1.4 million youngsters in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea applied to join or rejoin the military earlier this week, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday.

More than 1.4 million youth league officials and youth and students across the country volunteered to join or rejoin the army on Oct 14 and 15, said the KCNA, following an alleged Republic of Korea drone infiltration into Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK.

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The DPRK called the drone incident "a serious provocation of violating its sovereignty.”

The DPRK's Foreign Ministry issued a statement late last Friday accusing the ROK of sending drones over Pyongyang. The ROK military has denied the accusation.

In the latest sign of the heightened tensions between the two countries, the DPRK military blew up parts of the Gyeongui and Donghae lines north of the Military Demarcation Line on Tuesday, ROK's Yonhap News Agency reported.

READ MORE: DPRK condemns ROK military over drone incident

The DPRK has yet to respond to the road explosion claim.