Alleged US Spy Plane Near North Korea’s EEZ Raises Diplomatic Tensions

North Korea has found itself at odds with the United States once again. The Korean People’s Army Air and Anti-Air Force (KPAAF) took immediate action when they detected an alleged US spy plane entering North Korea’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). North Korea’s military swiftly scrambled its warplanes.

Reportedly, an unspecified alleged US spy plane trespassed into the airspace above North Korea’s EEZ on three separate occasions, all transpiring between 5:38 a.m. and 6:37 a.m. local time. (Photo: CBS)

Alleged US Spy Plane Near North Korea’s EEZ

According to reports from Reuters, North Korea’s military swiftly scrambled its warplanes after an alleged US spy plane aircraft was said to have intruded into the economic zone located off North Korea’s eastern coast.

The event dated August 17, 2023, has been formally labeled a “dangerous military provocation” by the North Korean authorities, as confirmed through a statement released by the official North Korean news agency KCNA.

Reportedly, an unspecified alleged US spy plane trespassed into the airspace above North Korea’s EEZ on three separate occasions, all transpiring between 5:38 a.m. and 6:37 a.m. local time.

READ ALSO: How China’s Military Exercises Can Help Aid Diplomacy 

Did the Alleged US Spy Plane Breach North Korean Airspace?

According to Aero Time, it’s noteworthy that the U.S. aircraft or the alleged US spy plane did not breach North Korean airspace, which is strictly defined as the airspace directly above the nation’s sovereign territory.

However, it did venture into what is known as the country’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

An ADIZ represents a region of international airspace unilaterally designated by a nation to serve as a buffer zone preceding its sovereign airspace. The primary objective behind establishing an ADIZ is to facilitate the swift identification and monitoring of all incoming aircraft within this specified area.

In response to this incident of the alleged US spy plane, the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) has indicated that they are actively contemplating “deterrent measures to prevent future incursions.” Surprisingly, the U.S. Department of Defense has not yet provided an official reaction to this report.

On July 10, 2023, North Korea’s military had already issued a strongly-worded statement condemning what they referred to as “provocative” flights by a U.S. spy aircraft over eight consecutive days.

READ ALSO: Biden Requests $13 Billion Military Funding to Bolster Ukraine Against Russian Aggression