Kim Yo-jong, a senior official of North Korea's Workers' Party Central Committee, said on the 6th that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un assessed President Lee Jae-myung's expression of regret over the "drone incursion into North Korea" incident as showing "the posture of a candid and bold person." The statement is interpreted as Kim Jong-un, North Korea's head of state, personally responding to President Lee's expression of regret.
Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of Chairman Kim Jong-un, said in a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that evening, "Our government evaluates that it is highly fortunate and a wise move for himself that the president personally expressed regret and mentioned measures to prevent recurrence." She added that "our head of state assessed this as showing the posture of a candid and bold person."
However, Kim drew a line against inter-Korean dialogue, stating, "The South Korean side should not merely recite by rote that peace and stability are paramount, but should cease all reckless provocative acts against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for its own safety and abandon any attempt at contact."
She continued with a warning: "It should be kept firmly in mind that if provocative incidents violating our state's sacred and inviolable sovereignty recur, a price too heavy to bear will be exacted, as we have already warned."
Earlier that day, President Lee stated at a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House regarding the drone incursion incident, "Although it was not the intention of our government, I express regret to the North that unnecessary military tensions were provoked by some irresponsible and reckless actions."