|
A Russian bomber flew near the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, which was participating in an exercise in the East Sea, without prior notice on Wednesday and was intercepted by two U.S. fighters, Reuters reported. According to U.S. Defense Department officials, the Russian bomber came within 5.4 to 9 km and flew 2,000 feet (610 m) above the Nimitz and accompanying ships. Two U.S. F/A-18 fighters were launched to intercept the Russian aircraft and escorted it out of the area, according to the news agency.
Four South Korean F-16 fighters were also reportedly launched to intercept the Russian bomber. An officer with the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, "Our Air Force fighters also scrambled to intercept the Russian aircraft, as it entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) over the East Sea. We understand that the U.S. fighters were launched first from the USS Nimitz, and that when our fighters arrived at the scene, the crisis had been almost over."
KADIZ is an airspace controlled by the South Korean Defense Ministry for the defense of the territorial airspace. If a foreign aircraft wants to enter it, it needs approval from the JCS 24 hours in advance. When it actually enters it, it must report its location. The Russian bomber's flight near the U.S. aircraft carrier indicates that Russia, which is reviving some of its military power, wants to keep the U.S. in check.
Meanwhile, North Korea has been denouncing Key Resolve, the annual South Korean-U.S. joint military exercise that continues until Friday. Online North Korean government site Uriminzokkiri on Thursday said, "Clouds of nuclear war hang over the Korean Peninsula."
The Rodong Shinmun, the organ of the Central Committee of the North Korean WorkersĄŻ Party, wrote the same day, "The South Korean people should actively wage an anti-U.S., antiwar struggle, and understand the aggressive and dangerous nature of the joint military exercise being staged by warmongers at home and abroad." The previous day, the newspaper wrote, "A tense touch-and-go situation is being created on the Korean Peninsula due to the military provocation by bellicose forces in the U.S. and South Korea."
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
