'US Military Reconnaissance Aircraft Fly Over Korean Peninsula for Three Consecutive Days Amid "Kim Jong-un Health Rumors"'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu]Amid rumors about North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's 'health issues,' the U.S. RC-135W (Rivet Joint) reconnaissance aircraft flew over South Korean airspace again after two days.

According to the civilian flight tracking site 'Aircraft Spot' on the 22nd, the U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft RC-135W flew over Seoul and southern Gyeonggi Province on that day.

The RC-135W, the U.S. Air Force's main signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft, is equipped with devices that detect signals transmitted from ground remote telemetry equipment before missile launches and analyze warhead trajectories.

Previously, on the 20th, the RC-135W also flew over the Korean Peninsula, and on the 21st, the U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft E-8C and the U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft P-3C were dispatched consecutively.

The E-8C, equipped with integrated surveillance and target attack radar systems, is known to precisely monitor movements of North Korean missile bases, field army maneuvers, coastal artillery, and long-range artillery bases, as well as ground troops and equipment from an altitude of 9 to 12 km.

Generally, the P-3C performs missions to detect submarines using radar and other equipment.

For three consecutive days surrounding reports of Chairman Kim's health issues, U.S. reconnaissance and patrol aircraft have been deployed in operations over the Korean Peninsula. While these reconnaissance and patrol flights may be routine missions according to existing plans, some analyses suggest they could be monitoring unusual activities detected in North Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.