North Korea accuses U.S. of conducting 190 spy flights against communist state

North Korea accused the United States on Tuesday of conducting more than 190 spy flights against the communist state in January, claiming the alleged espionage shows Washington retains aggressive intentions against Pyongyang. Citing unidentified military sources, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said American aircraft, including U-2, RC-135 and EP-3 spy planes, had spied on "important targets" and "military targets" in North Korea from skies over the South. KCNA said the alleged spying "proves that the U.S. is a criminal state keen to launch a war of aggression against other countries." North Korea releases alleged spy flight tallies each month. The U.S. military doesn't comment, although it acknowledges monitoring North Korean military activity.

Some 32,500 U.S. troops are based in South Korea, which remains technically at war with the North.

North Korea and the U.S. have been in a standoff over the North's nuclear programs since 2002. The two countries have held five rounds of talks on resolving the dispute along with China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, reports the AP. I.L.