The South Korean military on Wednesday accused Japan of clear provocations, alleging Japanese patrol planes deliberately flew at low altitudes recently near South Korean naval vessels, a claim immediately denied by Tokyo.
Suh Wook, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's operational headquarters, said the South Korean military was forced to respond after a Japanese patrol plane flew around 60 to 70 meters above a naval vessel in the East China Sea at around 2 p.m. Wednesday, after similar low-altitude flights by Japanese aircraft on Friday and Tuesday.
"We have clearly requested the Japanese government to stop this from happening again, but seeing the plane fly low again today, we cannot but take this as a clear provocation against a vessel of a friendly country," the official said at a briefing.