Raises fears for airlines
reach, experts have said.
One hour after the test launch last Wednesday, the captain of a Korean Air flight approaching South Korea’s Incheon Airport from San Francisco reported to ground control that he had seen a flash, local media said.
Four minutes later, the pilot of another Korean Air aircraft crossing the Sea of Japan inbound from Los Angeles reported a similar flash of light.
The crew of a Cathay Pacific flight in Japanese airspace also reported a similar burst of light in the pre-dawn skies over the ocean. Cathay said the missile was far from the plane, and operation was unaffected, adding that it had informed other carriers and authorities.
“At the moment, no one is changing any routes or operating parameters,” the Hong Kong-based airline said in a statement. “We remain alert and [will] review the situation as it evolves.”
A Korean Air official said that both their aircraft landed without further incident and insisted neither was in danger because the missile’s trajectory was sufficiently far away from their flight paths.
The US and South Korea have sent dozens of stealth jets into the sky since Monday for joint exercises. During the fiveday drill, which is called Vigilant Ace, 230 US and South Korean aircraft and 12,000 troops will hone their wartime capabilities and preparedness, military officials in Seoul said.
The exercises will involve simulated precision attacks on the North’s military installations, including its missile launch sites and artillery units, said Yonhap news agency.
Meanwhile, United Nations Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltmanamid arrived in North Korea yesterday for talks with hopes of breaking the growing diplomatic standoff.