Kim Jong-un's sister says U.S. will face consequences if it continues to violate airspace

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Kim Jong-un's sister says U.S. will face consequences if it continues to violate airspace

Published: 11 Jul. 2023, 10:30 Updated: 11 Jul. 2023, 13:55

Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un and vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Kim Jong-un's sister said that U.S. forces will face a "very critical flight" should it conduct a "repeated illegal intrusion" in North Korean airspace as the latest in a series of warnings against the United States.

The warning by Kim Yo-jong, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), came hours after she issued a statement late Monday alleging that a U.S. spy aircraft entered North Korean airspace within its exclusive economic zone earlier in the day.

"I have already notified beforehand the counteraction of our army upon authorization. In case of repeated illegal intrusion, the U.S. forces will experience a very critical flight," Kim, vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, said in Tuesday's statement.

"The strategic reconnaissance plane of the U.S. Air Force illegally intruded into the economic water zone of the DPRK side in the East Sea of Korea eight times in the sky above the sea of 435 km [270 miles] east of Thongchon of Kangwon Province~276 km southeast of Uljin of North Kyongsang Province from 5:15 to 13:10 on July 10, to commit an aerial espionage act," Kim added.

The sister also warned South Korea from intervening by stressing that this is an issue between the "Korean People's Army" and the "U.S. Air Force."

"The military gangsters of the 'ROK' should stop acting impudently and shut up at once," Kim said.

This was the first time North Korea referred to the South by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

On Monday, North Korea accused U.S. spy aircraft of entering its airspace and warned of shooting it down.

Kim Yo-jung, on the same day, called the intrusion an "aerial espionage act."

"The strategic reconnaissance plane of the U.S. Air Force illegally intruded into the economic water zone of the DPRK side in the East Sea of Korea eight times," she said, referring to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The South Korean military denied such accusations and described the flights of the U.S. aerial surveillance assets as a regular routine.

The U.S. Defense Department also denied claims of having military aircraft in North Korean airspace.

"Accusations are just accusations," Sabrina Singh, Pentagon's deputy secretary, said on Monday during a daily press briefing. "I'll leave it at that."

Singh added that the U.S. force operates "responsibly and "safely" and in accordance with international law.

"The United States, as always, remains committed to safely and responsibly flying, sailing, operating anywhere that international law allows and alongside our allies and partners," Singh said. "I just don't have anything more to say on those comments or those threats coming out of North Korea. We operate responsibly and safely in international waterways and airspaces wherever we can."

BY SOHN DONG-JOO, LEE HO-JEONG [[email protected]]