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‘United States made more than 200 spy flights in April’

* N Korea says such activities justify moves to strengthen ‘nuclear deterrent’

SEOUL: North Korea accused the US military on Saturday of conducting more than 200 spy flights against the communist country in April, saying such activities justify moves to strengthen its “nuclear deterrent”.

North Korea’s official news agency KCNA, citing unnamed military sources, said the US military spied on “major military targets” using U-2, RC-135 and other reconnaissance planes.

“Such aerial espionage committed against the backdrop of the ever more undisguised moves of the US imperialists to stifle the DPRK by force of arms clearly proves the justice of the steps taken by it to increase the means for self-defence, including nuclear deterrent,” KCNA said.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the North’s official name. North Korea regularly makes such accusations. The US military does not comment on North Korean claims of US spy flights, although it acknowledges monitoring North Korean military activity. The North is under international pressure to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

The United States, the two Koreas, Russia, China and Japan are scheduled to open working-level meetings on May 12 in Beijing to lay the groundwork for another round of senior-level talks on the nuclear standoff. The six nations have twice held senior-level talks, but have made little progress. They hope another meeting will take place before July. —AP

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