US Flies Spy Jets Over South Korea In Apparent Move To Monitor North Korea - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2020) The United States has been flying its reconnaissance jets over South Korea's border regions for several days in a row an apparent signal that it is keeping an eye on the North, Yonhap reported on Monday.

Citing an aviation tracker, the news agency said that the US Air Force's RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted over the northwestern city of Incheon and the metropolitan areas early on Monday. Later in the day, a EO-5C "Crazy Hawk" aircraft, along with three A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters and two KC-135R military aerial refueling aircraft, were also flying over the country.

At the weekend, the E-8C Joint stars surveillance aircraft was spotted over South Korea's Yellow Sea and western regions, according to the tracker.

The news agency notes that the flights come amid a speculation that North Korea might resort to a provocation in the run-up to the inauguration of projected US president-elect Joe Biden to increase its negotiating leverage with the next administration.

Yonhap also suggested that the US might have visibly stepped up its reconnaissance flights to warn Pyongyang against any provocations.

Under Donald Trump, the US has held three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, having built what the incumbent president says is a working relationship with Pyongyang. The sides have not achieved a breakthrough on denuclearization, though, due to a deadlock on sanctions relief.

During an election debate, Biden called Kim a "thug," which came in contrast to a good chemistry that has established between Trump and the North Korean leader.