North Korea warned the United States against sending spy planes into its territory, saying Monday that there was "no guarantee" that they won't shoot down the U.S. aircraft.
In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, a spokesperson for the North's Defense Ministry claimed that the U.S. Air Force conducted "provocative aerial espionage on the DPRK's strategic interior" from July 2 to Sunday, including several flights into North Korean airspace.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
"The U.S. will surely have to pay a dear price for its provocative air espionage," the unnamed spokesperson said.
"There is no guarantee that such shocking accident as downing of the U.S. Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen in the East Sea of Korea," the spokesperson added, citing previous occasions when North Korea shot down U.S. aircraft.
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