The top commander of South Korean armed forces has defended the military’s refusal to confirm whether it sent ROK drones into North Korea last year, arguing that strategic ambiguity and secrecy are necessary to safeguard national security.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo also strongly rejected accusations that the ROK military sought to manufacture DPRK threats to justify President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law, while insisting that criminal investigations into the military’s activities could compromise security.

“Why should we voluntarily confirm what Kim Jong Un himself needs to verify with his own resources?” Kim said Tuesday,