U.S. spied often over N Korea, says report

Tension between N.Korea and the U.S. is increasing since Bush took office

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- U.S. spy planes conducted more than 150 flights over North Korean territory in April, North Korea says.

The planes took photos and conducted electronic reconnaissance and other espionage activities, according to a report.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says that more than 30 of the spy flights were by U-2 strategic reconnaissance planes.

Tension has been increasing between Washington and North Korea since President Bush took office in January.

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In March, Bush told South Korean President Kim Dae-jung that he would not resume missile talks with Pyongyang in the near future, adding that there was no reliable way to ensure North Korea would comply with such an accord.

Since then, North Korea has resumed hostile comments against the United States.

Adding to Washington's diplomatic headaches, U.S.-China relations were frayed by a spy plane standoff in April during which 24 Americans were held for 11 days in Chinese territory.

Although China said on Sunday that it would allow U.S. officials to inspect the American plane, Washington and Beijing still have hurdles to clear.

Last week, United States said it would help Taiwan buy an arms package costing probably billions of dollars that would vastly improve the island's naval defenses against China.

Washington has also decided to grant a visa to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui, which Beijing had strongly opposed.

China considers Taiwan, where defeated Nationalist troops fled after losing a civil war to the Communists in 1949, a breakaway province that must be unified with the mainland.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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