US 'flew 2 200 spy missions'
2006-12-30 18:27
Seoul - North Korea accused the United States on Saturday of having conducted at least 2 200 spy-plane missions over the communist country this year.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said: "This means six reconnaissance planes were involved in the espionage on a daily average."
Pyongyang has said such missions show the US aims to invade North Korea, despite Washington's categorical denials.
Both sides are locked in a stand-off about North Korea's nuclear weapons programmes.
The KCNA said "the US imperialist aggression forces" had carried out their spy missions with reconnaissance planes including the U-2, RC-135, E-3, EP-3, RC-7B and RC-12, either based in South Korea or overseas.
Claims of money laundering
Six-nation negotiations aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programmes resumed in Beijing last week, but ended in stalemate without setting even a date for the next round.
North Korea refused to engage in substantive discussions at the talks, citing no progress in the lifting of US sanctions imposed on Pyongyang in connection with allegations of money laundering and counterfeiting.
Pyongyang's October 9 nuclear test added to the urgency of resolving the issue at the talks - which group both Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
- AFP