S. Korea, Russia Differ Over Warning Shots Fired at Aircraft

 

South Korea says it fired 360 warning shots Tuesday after a Russian military plane violated South Korea’s airspace two times.

Russian officials quickly disputed the claim. They also said Russia was carrying out joint¹ air exercises with China.

South Korea says three Russian military planes entered the South’s air defense² area off its east coast. It says one of the Russian planes flew into South Korean airspace.

South Korean reports say several South Korean fighter planes then flew to the area. They fired warning shots with machine guns and flares⁴.

Defense officials in Seoul said the Russian plane left the area after about three minutes. But they said the plane later returned and violated the country's airspace again for four minutes. The officials said the South Korean fighter planes then fired more flares and warning shots.

South Korea said it was the first time a foreign military plane had violated its airspace since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

The commander of Russia’s long-range air forces denied both the report that planes had violated South Korean airspace and the report of shots.

Russia’s Defense Ministry⁵ said it does not recognize South Korea’s claim to the air territory. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the area was not territorial⁶ airspace and that all countries enjoy freedom of movement in it.

The airspace that South Korea says the Russian warplane violated is above a group of South Korean-held islands about halfway⁷ between South Korea and Japan. Japan also claims ownership of the islands.

Japan protested to South Korea for firing warning shots over Japanese airspace. It also protested to Russia for violating its airspace.

South Korea answered that it cannot accept the Japanese statement, repeating that the islands are South Korean territory.

I’m Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

flare³ - n. a very bright light that is used to give a signal, to light up something, or to attract attention

long-range - adj. able to travel or be used over great distances

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

4 flares   

n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开

参考例句：

• The side of a ship flares from the keel to the deck. 船舷从龙骨向甲板外倾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation. 他是火爆性子，一点就着。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

7 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。