More than 180 North Korean fighter jets were detected Friday in North Korean airspace over land and off the east and west coasts, the general staff in the capital Seoul said. Some aircraft also held target practice. Until early in the evening (local time) nothing was known about border violations.
This week, North Korea had already tested more than 25 missiles, including an ICBM with a range of several thousand kilometers, according to the South Korean military. The subject was back on the agenda of the UN Security Council in New York on Friday. UN resolutions prohibit the country, largely isolated internationally, from testing nuclear missiles of any range.
The air drill in North Korea was also seen as another show of force due to the continued training of the air force by South Korean and US forces. Tensions on the Korean peninsula have risen sharply in recent months. Despite international criticism, North Korea has been testing ballistic missiles and other weapons at an unusually high frequency since late September.
(SDA)