South Korea alerted fighters, intercepted nearly 180 North Korean military aircraft near the border – Asia

The South Korean military said it had placed the fighters on high alert after intercepting the flyovers of some 180 North Korean warplanes near the border between the two Koreas, the agencies said.

Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean Armed Forces clarified that North Korean aviation activity continued for about four hours in several areas along the eastern and western sides of the border. In response, the South Korean side raised about 80 aircraft, including F-35A stealth fighters, but there were no reports of clashes.

None of the DPRK planes breached the border between the two countries.

There was another similar incident last month, when a flyby of ten North Korean warplanes forced South Korea to raise fighters on alert.

On October 31, the United States and South Korea began an aviation exercise involving about 240 aircraft, the largest of its kind in recent years. According to the plan, it was supposed to finish today, but due to recent missile tests by the DPRK, it will be extended for another day, until tomorrow, South Korean Defense Minister Yi Jeon-sup said, quoted by local media.

Ballistic missiles were launched from North Korea

Pyongyang described the joint US-South Korea maneuvers as a “reckless” military provocation and threatened retaliation measures. The North Korean government also said the latest missile tests were intended to simulate a tactical nuclear weapon attack on South Korean airports.

Today, it was reported that the DPRK fired around 80 artillery shells along the maritime border between the two Koreas, BTA informed.