US spyplane 'intruded our space': North Korea

North Korea has claimed that a US spy plane intruded into its air space.

The North’s state media said “US imperialist warhawks” sent an RC-135 strategic reconnaissance plane into its territory yesterday.

“This is a premeditated move to find an opportunity to mount a pre-emptive attack on the DPRK,” it said.

DPRK stands for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea regularly makes such accusations, saying the US is preparing for an invasion. The US military says its manoeuvres are defensive. Washington keeps 37,000 American troops in South Korea.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the US will pledge up to 100,000 tons of food aid to North Korea this year.

Washington will provide an initial donation of 40,000 tons of food and is prepared to contribute as much as 60,000 tons more in response to an emergency plea by the World Food Programme, the UN agency that manages food aid to the impoverished communist country.

Powell said donors are trying to make sure “needy people receive the food that is intended for them”. He said the US did not want to use food aid as a “political weapon” and that new aid would be forthcoming because hunger continues to be widespread in North Korea.