KCNA: U.S., S.Korea commit over 1,000 cases of aerial espionage against DPRK in first half of year

PYONGYANG, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States and South Korea committed more than 170 cases of aerial espionage against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in June, bringing the total number to over 1,000 in the first half of this year, the official news agency KCNA reported Monday.

A U.S. U-2 spy plane perpetrated 25 cases of espionage in June and more than 160 cases in the first six months of this year.

Meanwhile, the United States periodically let overseas-based RC-135 aircraft make high-altitude flights over South Korea for the purpose of spying on strategic targets of the DPRK, the report said.

The United States also allowed three or four RC-12s and RC-7Bs to over-fly the border between the north and south every day in order to commit espionage against the DPRK in June, bringing the number of such cases to more than 560 in the first half of the year, according to the report.

South Korea's RC-800 and RF-4C airplanes also flew over the areas along the Military Demarcation Line every day to perpetrate aerial photography and electronic reconnaissance against the DPRK.

These actions of espionage proved that they were further stepping up preparations for a war of aggression, the KCNA quoted a military source as saying.

The KCNA reports U.S. and South Korean espionage flights at the end of each month.