N. Korea alleges 160 U.S. spy flights in April

updated 7:25 a.m. ET April 29, 2006

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea claimed Saturday that the United States conducted about 160 spy flights against the communist state this month.

The United States spied on strategic targets, coasts and sea bottoms in North Korea from skies over the South, using such planes as U-2, RC-135 and EP-3, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said, citing unidentified military officials.

In particular, the United States flew dozens of reconnaissance aircraft for anti-North Korea espionage between April 21-24 when the two Koreas held high-level talks in Pyongyang, KCNA said.

North Korea releases tallies of alleged U.S. spy flights every month. The U.S. military doesn't comment, although it acknowledges monitoring North Korean military activity.

Some 29,500 U.S. troops are based in South Korea, which remains technically at war with the North.

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