North Korean fighter jets fly near border, Seoul sends planes

DAY

A dozen North Korean fighter jets flew over an area near the border with South Korea on Thursday, which in turn sent aircraft, according to the Yonhap news agency, on missile tests by Pyongyang. 

The incident, the second in a week involving fighter jets, comes amid rising military tensions on the peninsula, as Korea of the North has recently carried out a series of missile launches, including the last Thursday.

According to the South Korean General Staff, quoted by the Yonhap agency, ten combat aircraft were detected flying at 25 kilometers north of the border between the two states between 11:30 p.m. Thursday and 12:20 a.m. Friday local time. The North Korean planes crossed a “reconnaissance line”, triggering an automatic response from the South, according to the same source.

Seoul then sent fighter jets, including F- 35A, according to the general staff, added Yonhap.

This episode comes shortly after the test of two long-range strategic cruise missiles by Pyongyang on Wednesday, announced by the official North Korean press, which point out that these tests were supervised by the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On Thursday, North Korea fired a new unidentified ballistic missile, according to the South Korean news agency.

Pyongyang described its recent missile tests as nuclear tactical exercises, simulating strikes on airports and military installations in South Korea.