South Korea Spins Out 80 Jets After North Korean Air Intrusion
Picture this: it’s the evening of November 4th, and the Korean airspace looks a bit like a crowd at a concert—North Korean warplanes are buzzing over the military border for over four hours. South Korea’s air force, not one to miss a beat, fired up 80 aircraft, including some sleek F‑35A stealth fighters, to keep the skies clear.
Why the scramble mattered
- North Korean planes crossed the tactical measure line, a line that extends 20 km (about 12 miles) north of the Military Demarcation Line.
- South Korea, already on high alert after earlier tests, decided it was time to show they mean business.
- They counted on their partnership with the United States, which kept 240 aircraft on standby during the “Vigilant Storm” exercises.
Recap of the earlier fly‑by
Just a month back, a squad of 10 North Korean jets did a similar stunt, and South Korea’s jets were ready again. It’s like the same neighbors playing a repeated game of “Hey, I’ve got a pilot! Can you keep your fence tight?”
Fueling the tension: The artillery and missile bursts
Why this military shuffle? The North fired over 80 artillery shells at sea overnight and launched several missiles—one of them probably a failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The United States and South Korea took this as a signal to step up their drills, to keep the Pyongyang fireworks in check.
In short, about four hours of planes over the border, a rush of 80 jets, and a double dose of artillery and missile fire—South Korea’s defense squad shot on, all while the US and its South Korean partner kept the escalade from getting out of hand.
