North Korea's Simultaneous Threats This Time: Night Flights

Over 10 Military Aircraft Descend Below Tactical Control Line on East and West Fronts

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korean military aircraft this time flew south below our military's Tactical Action Line (TAL) on both the eastern and western fronts, conducting simultaneous threat flights.

On the 13th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that from around 10:30 PM on the same day until about 12:20 AM on the 14th, our military identified about 10 North Korean military aircraft tracks south of the Tactical Action Line (TAL) and responded accordingly.

The Tactical Action Line is an imaginary line set by our military 20 to 50 km north of the Military Demarcation Line and the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, to quickly respond to the high speed of North Korean fighter jets. When North Korean military aircraft descend south of this line, our military implements corresponding tactical measures.

North Korean military aircraft approached up to 5 km north of the no-fly zone set under the September 19 Military Agreement (25 km north of the Military Demarcation Line) in the western inland area south of the Tactical Action Line, up to 7 km north of the no-fly zone (47 km north of the MDL) in the eastern inland area, and up to 12 km north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea area, before heading back north.

The Air Force maintained a response posture by urgently scrambling superior air power including F-35A jets and conducted proportionate counter-maneuvers corresponding to the North Korean military aircraft's flight. Furthermore, the Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that they maintained a full response posture through follow-up support forces and air defense artillery units. Our military is closely monitoring North Korean military movements in close cooperation with the United States and maintaining a firm readiness posture to prepare for provocations.

They are also watching for the possibility of continued North Korean military aircraft movements.

Although the nature and intent of the simultaneous threat flights by North Korean military aircraft late at night on this day have not been confirmed, it is analyzed to be an extension of a recent series of provocations. However, such North Korean military aircraft movements have rarely been disclosed until now.

Recently, unusual movements of North Korean military aircraft have occurred for the third time in eight days following the 6th and 8th of this month. On the 6th, eight fighter jets and four bombers flew south past the 'special surveillance line' set by our military, conducting a show of force formation flight. On the 8th, they deployed 150 aircraft to conduct a 'large-scale comprehensive air attack exercise.' Additionally, from the 25th of last month to the 9th, North Korea conducted seven short- and medium-range ballistic missile provocations within half a month in response to the deployment of a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier and joint exercises between South Korea-U.S. and South Korea-U.S.-Japan. The day before, they launched two long-range cruise missiles.

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