North Korea repeatedly complains of US 'spy planes'

Kim Jong Un's powerful military sister, Kim Yo Jong, alleged on Tuesday that a United States spy plane entered North Korea's exclusive economic zone eight times.

She claimed the "illegal incursion" by the US Air Force plane happened over the ocean 435 km (270 miles) east of Thongchon in Kangwon Province.

Washington has not commented on the claims by Pyongyang.

Kim warned the US would "experience a very critical flight" if it continued with the alleged incursions, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.

South Korea's military said earlier that the aircraft were conducting "normal" flights over open seas.

Kim said Seoul should refrain from interfering in what she considered to be a dispute between North Korea and the US.

North Korea threatens 'shocking accident'

Kim's comments early on Tuesday came just hours after North Korea accused the US of flying reconnaissance aircraft in its airspace on Monday.

North Korea said that it would shoot down such surveillance flights in some circumstances, claiming it was currently exercising restraint. 

Pyongyang also slammed what it said was a US move to deploy a nuclear missile submarine close to the Korean peninsula.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the North's Ministry of National Defense said "provocative" military actions conducted by the US "several times" were bringing the Korean peninsula closer to a nuclear conflict.

"There is no guarantee that such a shocking accident as the downing of the US Air Force strategic reconnaissance planes will not happen in the East Sea of Korea," the spokesperson added in the statement cited by official news agency KCNA.

There was no immediate response from the US military, while South Korea dismissed North's claim of airspace violation as false. It said the US conducts routine reconnaissance flights around the peninsula.

Escalation through 'nuclear blackmail'

Condemning US plans to deploy strategic nuclear assets around the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang called this "the most undisguised nuclear blackmail" against North Korea, arguing it posed a serious threat to peace and security in the region.

North Korea has spent years developing and testing nuclear weapons in violation of international treaties and sanctions.

In April, the US announced its plan to send a US Navy nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine to a South Korean port for the first time since the 1980s. It, however, did not share the timeline for the visit.

"Whether the extreme situation, desired by nobody, is created or not on the Korean peninsula depends on the future action of the US, and if any sudden situation happens ... the US will be held totally accountable for it," KCNA said.

Pyongyang cited past incidents of it engaging or shooting down US planes, and   warned the US would pay for its "frantically staged" air espionage.

zc, mf/jcg (AFP, Reuters)