Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 13, 2003
US to Resume Spy Flights near DPRK: Officials
The United States is resuming reconnaissance flights in areas near the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) despite the alleged intercept of a US reconnaissance plane by DPRK fighter jets earlier this month, US officials said Wednesday.
The United States is resuming reconnaissance flights in areas near the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) despite the alleged intercept of a US reconnaissance plane by DPRK fighter jets earlier this month, US officials said Wednesday.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not clarify whether such flights had actually resumed but only said that the US military has plans to send RC-135 reconnaissance planes back to their spy missions in international air space off the DPRK.
Instead of being escorted by fighter jets, the reconnaissance planes will be watched over by US Navy warships and AWACS military radar planes, the officials said.
According to Pentagon officials, four DPRK fighter jets shadowed a US RC-135 reconnaissance plane 240 kilometers off the coast of DPRK on March 2 for about 20 minutes.
Washington later lodged an oral protest through DPRK diplomats at the United Nations over the incident.